


toil toil

by niomei



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Lee Felix (Stray Kids)-centric, M/M, Minor Bang Chan/Kim Woojin, Minor Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Touch-Starved, all these au tags lfdjglfkd, dont worry itll be fun, everyone is some kinda magic/mythical!, kinda? a mix of nonsense and magic, note: i tag as i go which includes ships characters and other things!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2019-11-15 22:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18081710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niomei/pseuds/niomei
Summary: Felix is a thief witch-- he can give and take magic from anything that posesses it. Thieves are actively disliked to say the least, and Felix makes sure he doesn't cause any trouble; after all, the ability to steal magic at will is a dangerous thing to be able to do.Keeping the peace is tenuous at best, but what can you do when surrounded by well meaning magical weirdos?





	1. Chapter 1

Felix crouches by the riverbed and says, “Hello!”, same as he has for the last two years; and, the same as it has for the last two years, the river hums back in greeting as Felix drags his fingertips opposite of the current.

“Anything went remiss while I was gone?” he asks lightly, shouldering his book bag a little more securely. “Is my visitor here yet?”

The river bubbles affirmative to both. Felix huffs out a sigh. He’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it.

“ _ Lovely. _ Can I borrow some of your magic, dear? I’ll return it once I’m done,” Felix promises, smiling a little when there’s another positive burble.

Carefully, with a focused gaze and a steady hand, Felix twirls his fingers, and  _ pulls. _ A single light blue thread, easily mistaken for sewing thread with how thin it is, comes free from the water, about a foot long at most. One end is wrapped around Felix’s index finger, and it curls further down his palm until it’s hidden away under his sleeve-- then, it embeds itself in one smooth movement. The mustard yellow sweater blocks it from view, but Felix can  _ feel _ the burn of the thread burrowing into his skin, leaving hot pink flesh behind and a burst of foreign magic in his chest. It was an ever-visceral experience.

“Always so generous with me,” Felix coos lovingly, digging up a glass vial he had specifically put together for this. “I’ve brought you a gift, you know.”

Uncorking it, he takes a whiff of the dried herbs inside; some chamomile, for protection of the land, some clove for cleansing, and some yarrow for healing.

“I grew these myself, without borrowing any woodland magic for once,” Felix says conversationally as he settles on the balls of his feet. “You can see the chamomiles, I think. Thank you for your generosity, your kindness, and your sublime.”

With that, he sprinkles some of the mixture into the river; a simple but effective thank you and protection. Simple but effective was Felix’s strong point, after all. Once the river is appeased, Felix skips over the stone bridge that cuts over it and hums his way along the path. The forest has become familiar to Felix over time, and where both he and it had mutual trepidation at first, they had fallen into a sort of rhythm; Felix did his best to keep everything healthy and happy and appeased, and the forest let him borrow it’s magic whenever he needed it.

Thieves were not appreciated in the cities, but nature had a way of making everything work out. It was too old and too wise to bother with unsavvy human follies.

Felix pauses when he hears a familiar little chirrup from the trees to his right. Pausing, he drops down onto one knee to blink at the underbrush.

“Innie~” he sing-songs softly. “I brought you some human snacks. Let’s get home, yeah?”

A beat passes. Then, a small fluffy head peers over the bushes carefully. The red fox is wary, dirty looking with suspicious eyes.

“Oh baby, were those witch boys messing with you again?” Felix murmurs with a frown. He looks for the river’s magic, for its soothing timbre, and pours the calm into his voice. “It’s okay Jeongin, it’s just me. Let’s get you cleaned up and fed, yeah? We can visit Hyunjinnie after if you want to.”

The fox, Jeongin, contemplates for a moment, but eventually trots out of the bushes. He has a little limp, right hind leg not quite coming down well, and Felix’s frown deepens. Jeongin sniffs Felix’s hand, and Felix pets him a few times before carefully picking him up and cradling him to his chest. With the river’s song flowing through him, it’s easy for Felix to lull the fox into a cuddle session. He ignores the mud that’s inevitably staining his hoodie-- it was about to get soaked anyway, considering Jeongin liked to shake himself dry no matter how much Felix insists on letting him just use towels.

“Innie baby,” Felix says as he starts his walk once more. “I can get you clean but I’ll have to call Woojin for the leg. I don’t want to accidentally heal it wrong.”

Jeongin huffs at that, nosing Felix’s shoulder in protest.

“Healing isn’t innate to me," Felix reminds Jeongin softly, and Felix learns that foxes can, in fact, roll their eyes judgmentally.

_ ‘It hurts, fix it,’ _ Jeongin’s little foxy chirps say, or at least that’s how Felix interprets them; he’s gotten good at sort-of speaking fox in the last year and a half. Felix huffs and stays quiet, already bending to the little fox’s will. Damn foxes and their cute, manipulative nature.

The path winds slowly into an opening, where Felix’s dinky little cabin is located at; he can hear the river somewhere nearby, and the chamomiles he planted around the clearing are looking mighty perky today all things considered. Unlocking the front door, Felix carefully carries Jeongin into the bathroom without pause and places him in the tub. Jeongin flops onto his back. Cheeky little bugger.

“You know, it’s just your luck that I bought shampoo for you this time around,” Felix says as he opens his bad and digs around in it. “Chan convinced me, said normal shampoo wasn’t effective enough for shifters, and-- aha!” Felix plucks out a white and blue bottle from the depths of his bag. “--anyway, you’re lucky you’re his favorite.”

Felix pushes up his sleeves, dumping the bottle onto the edge of the tub, and Jeongin whines softly at the sight of the only thread of magic Felix is sporting today. A thin, raised pink line cycles up Felix’s forearm, visibly irritated from use. Felix tutts softly and the redness recedes up his arm and hides in his shoulders instead.

“I already told you it doesn’t hurt,” Felix chides as he opens the tap, turning it to warm. “Now, let’s get’cha all clean and patched, yeah?”

* * *

It doesn’t take long to get Jeongin all put together again-- despite his protests, Felix was actually just fine at healing magic, and had managed to get Jeongin’s leg set and nudged along the path to wellness. He’d still call Woojin to give it a look, considering the elder’s natural born affinity for healing would do much better than Felix’s learned bits and pieces, but for now he had fed Jeongin and left him to nap on the overstuffed couch in the living room.

He unpacked his bag, which was basically just stuffed with care packages from Chan; he couldn’t make the trip to the forest as often anymore, but that would never stop him from doting on his adoptees accordingly. Felix knows he’s far from the only one-- he has things for Jeongin, for Jisung, and for Hyunjin. Felix didn’t even  _ know _ Chan knew Hyunjin, but he doesn't mind playing messenger. He’s the only one who can make the trek easily; Jisung didn’t like leaving his land during the transition between seasons, and Hyunjin needed at least a few days to effectively adapt from a tail to legs. Jeongin liked to make the trip with Felix sometimes, but recently some pesky witches had been trying to catch him and he didn’t like being out in the open.

Jisung and Felix had been planning on scaring the shit out of them soon. The plan was going to have to be sped along.

Felix dumps his soiled sweater into the hamper, grabs Jisung’s designated care package (tied at the top with a lovely silver ribbon, Felix notes, probably for that fae boy that had recently taken to the spirit. How thoughtful of Chan), and quietly steps out of his house.

First order of business, returning the river’s magic.

With a little bounce in his step, Felix walks right into the thick of the forest to his right. To find Jisung, as with most important things, it was easier to follow the curves of the river; he had a sort of sixth sense for when people were looking for him, and Felix liked exploring more than enough to wait him out. Everything from the land had it’s time and place, even wandering spirits.

There’s a little break in the trees, and then the river, a little thinner than where Felix had last crossed it; carefully placing the bag at the base of a tree (Felix doesn’t worry about losing it-- the land does not steal; only beings did such things), Felix crouches at the riverbank once more.

“Hullo again,” he murmurs, dropping his hand into the water without hesitation. “I’ve come to keep my promise.”

Felix sighs, feeling the thread on his shoulder unravel and slip back into the water. The river rushes past a little more furiously, a little bit more energetic than before, as if taking a deep breath after being stuck.

“Sorry,” Felix whispers, as he always does.

“So you’re the thief,” a voice says, and Felix looks up so quickly that his neck creaks in protest. “Jisung’s mentioned you.”

There, on the other side of the river, a man in all black is leaning against a tree, just within it’s shade. Felix’s thoughts, in order, go as such:

_ Oh, that’s dramatic. _

_ Oh, he’s handsome. _

_ Oh, he’s a necromancer. _

And looking between his short sleeved shirt, the river, and the stranger:

_ Oh fuck, he saw that. _

Rocking back on his heels, Felix just sort of. . . blinks at the stranger.

_ It is what it is, _ he tries to think neutrally. _ I am what I am. _

It fails to be reassuring.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont usually update this fast, im a creature of slow deliberation when it comes to writing, but i dont like leaving notes on first chapters and i get impatient to chatter w people lmao
> 
> this seems to have gotten a good response, which is nice bc i usually only write for v tiny fandoms and writing for bigger ones like this one is v scary fjldksldkjf also someone i rly admire kudosed this work so now i HAVE to be confident and thats the tea

Changbin wasn’t  _ lurking _ , thank you very much; he had been having a pleasant time  _ walking _ around the forest when he’d stumbled upon the other boy. It wasn’t  _ weird _ to find people talking to the river, but Changbin always  _ felt _ weird bursting onto the scene when they were; instead, as long as they weren’t going to take too much time, he’d wait them out and then be on his merry way.

Except this boy had moving-- scar tissue? Gods, Changbin couldn’t tell, but it looked red hot on golden skin until it seemingly bled away into the water. And the river-- the river just,  _ lit up. _ Changbin wasn’t as familiar with what brought  _ life, _ but he knew magic reinvigorated all, and he could see it breathe  _ life _ into the river. Could see, for a moment, not a drop of death in it.

Changbin’s mouth moves faster than his brain.

“So you’re the thief. Jisung’s mentioned you," he says, stepping a little closer.

“I guess I am,” the boy says, head tilting to the side. His fingers curl around his own wrist, and if Changbin focuses, he can feel his pulse thrumming. “I’d say nice to meet you, but it’s usually not nice when you open like that.”

“ ‘Supose not," Changbin concedes, loosening his stance when he sees the bag behind the boy. “You’re Chan’s favorite messenger, huh? He just throws the bags into my face when he visits.”

“. . . Huh," the boy says. “You must be Changbin, right? There’s really only one person I can think of that invokes that feeling from Chan.”

“In my defense, Jisung  _ also _ invokes that feeling in Chan.”

“Sungie invokes that feeling in most people,” he hums. “I’m Felix.”

“Ah,” Changbin says, head tilting to the side. He watches Felix’s eyes trace over the silver of his piercings with glittering curiosity for a moment. “I’ve heard stories.”

“Spectacular ones, I hope," Felix warbles after a moment, smiling dimly.

“There was a really good one about driving Jisung crazy with slang.”

Felix’s smile becomes a little more genuine at that, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

“It’s too fun. He forgets how to  _ people _ between seasons," Felix says, eyeing Changbin carefully. “Your magic is really. . . pretty. Unique.”

Changbin blinks. Sputters.

“Necromancy isn’t pretty,” Changbin huffs out, brows knitting together.

“I guess not, it’s more. . .  _ handsome. _ Like you,” Felix says, red tracing over his ears for a moment before he gets up and grabs the bag. “Anyway, have you seen Jisung? This is for him.”

How-- how is Changbin supposed to react to that? He’s only cool in theory, not in practice. He takes the out.

“. . . I haven’t, I was actually looking for him," Changbin replies. “It’s looking like Spring is finally settled in.”

“Let’s go look for him, then,” Felix says, smiling at Changbin before following the river. “I’ll be pretty quick since I have some other stuff to do, so you can keep him all to yourself.”

Changbin snorts, going down to walk alongside the river instead of in the treeline. Felix walks a little bit ahead on the other side, eyes searching along the treetops where Jisung liked to hang around. He’s a pretty thing, a flurry of freckles and sun blond hair, and if Changbin hadn’t seen him returning the magic to the river, he wouldn’t have thought much more than  _ pretty _ about him. But thieves were rare, near impossible to find living permanently in a city, and curiosity gets the better of him.

“So you can see magic?” Changbin asks.

“Anyone can see magic if they’re willing to do the work," Felix replies, seemingly on automatic. “Learned magic is as useful as innate.”

The response is so defensive, Changbin has to process it for a moment. The kid looks only a little bit younger than Changbin himself, or maybe Changbin’s idea of age is skewed; the only thing saving him from looking like a goblin is an extensive skin care regime that tries its best to eliminate the look of insomnia on his face, after all. The kid could be a lot better at not being stressed 24/7 than him, but Changbin doubts he’s any older than himself. His heart is like a hummingbird, still full of life. Just a little bit of decay around the soul. How could he be so bitter already?

That little decay, a slight shadowy darkness around the curve of his cheeks, is what stops Changbin from saying something snarky. It’s something deep set, like maybe even Changbin can’t see how much taint is really there; no amount of innate eyesight or trained focus could find the roots of it. It’s maybe a little sad, and that maybe-little-sadness softens Changbin.

“Trust me, I know,” he finally says. “It’s how I’ve kept a couple house plants from wilting every time I’m near ‘em.”

Felix giggles a little, free hand fluttering over his mouth.

“I’ve never been good at seeing just magic though, since it’s always intertwined with my other sight. Makes it hard to focus on just one thing.”

“Ah, well, it’s always interesting," Felix putters, fingers twisting over his wrist again. “Seeing magic is innate for me. I’ve almost always been able to see it.”

“We’re sort of the same, then," Changbin says, and Felix looks at him from the corner of his eye; he’s not very subtle, but that’s okay because he seems a little bit pleased at the words.

Jisung had stated that Felix was sweet and fun, but a bit of a shut in; he mostly hung around with the Earthly spirits that lived in Jisung’s woods, respectfully steered clear of fae folk, and only occasionally went into the city. Chan had  _ immediately _ taken an interest and had basically forced Jisung to take him to Felix for adopting purposes, but one of them had to stay in the studio while those two idiots were off being sociable. Changbin hadn’t had the time to accompany them, and Felix had never come by their studio once Chan had finally convinced him to tote his unending gifts to their friends.

The thing about Chan and Jisung though, is that their magicks are respected; Chan’s empathic abilities were so top-notch, he could weave bits of magic into everything he made, and Jisung’s status as a spirit of the forest allotted him immediate respect.

No such paths for necromancers and thieves.

Mortals fear death, regardless of how necessary or essential it is, and Changbin had always carried the weight of death on his shoulders. At the same time, the absolute nature of death had meant he’d never really had to hide; people died, and there was sublime in that too, and so with a bit of fighting spirit, Changbin had carved himself a proper place. It seems like Felix had found the forest instead.

They shared this much; they shared a level of ostracization, of isolation, of vision, even though Felix’s was arguably more extensive.

“Must be hard having second sight in the city,

” Felix says, as if he didn’t already know the pains of seeing so much.

“You know how it is; the more people, the more overwhelming. I produce music though, so that means I basically spend 90% of my time in a cave.”

That gets a proper laugh out of Felix, whiskers lining the crescents of his eyes.

“Sounds fun,” Felix says, only slightly sarcastic. “It’s less here; it’s like it’s more. . . in the air?”

“Yeah, diffused. Easier on the eyes.”

There’s a beat of silence.

“What do you see?” Felix asks softly.

“Well,” Changbin starts, lips twisting in thought. “It’s like there’s a thin film over everything. It doesn’t obscure my view of things, just adds another dimension to them, y’know? So there’s this thin film, and when living things are in physical or spiritual decay, the film gets darker, foggier. I can still see clearly, but I can also see the decay. Another part is that if I focus, I can sort of smell it too.”

“That sounds. . . kinda horrible,” Felix admits with a shudder. “The smelling part that is, I understand the rest.”

“It’s kind of gross, yeah, but I’m pretty desensitized to it at this point. Plus, it’s not as strong as my sight.”

Another beat of silence.

“I could always feel magic before I could ever see it,” Felix says slowly. “It’s like. . . like someone was always touching me, or fabric was being dragged all around me. I knew where it was and how it was moving and if I focused, I could feel it’s intent. Then I just started seeing these strings, and they moved in tandem with what I felt.”

“Strings of magic?” Changbin says wistfully.

“I can see them in your music," Felix says. “Chan lays down this diamond base of magic, thin but strong, each line filled with intent. And then you and Jisung weave in and out of the diamonds, make a nice little patchwork, and each song is a unique pattern. It’s really, really beautiful.”

“Can you take them from the songs?”

It might have been too crass a question, because Felix flinches a little, quickly trying to hide it with a small hop over a gnarled tree root.

“No,” he says simply. “They’re only imprints. Ghosts. I can see them but they’re not tangible enough to-- to grasp, or anything," Then he smiles, curved in all the wrong ways. “Your magic is safe and sound.”

“I was never concerned," Changbin says quickly.

“It’s fine.”

The film darkens almost imperceptibly.

There’s a smooth bend up ahead, and sitting right at the edge with his feet in the river, is a  _ very _ beautiful boy. His hair is black, so black it reflects blue at the right angle, and deep brown eyes are peering right at Changbin. There’s a smile curling around the edges of the boy’s mouth, gorgeous and sweet.

“Minho,” Changbin greets, waving awkwardly. “Where’s Jisung?”

Changbin notices when Felix falls back a little, as if hesitant to approach, but before he can do much more, there’s a war cry from the treetops, and then-- a whole Han Jisung is flying from a branch at Changbin.

“BINNIE!” he screeches, slamming right into Changbin full force. Changbin barely manages to stop himself from falling straight into the water, instead wobbling unsteadily so that he falls ass-first into the grass instead.

“He’s right there," Minho says with a mischievous wink, leaning back onto his hands. Silver jewelry adorns his arms and shoulders, shimmering like pure starlight.

“Fuck you," Changbin wheezes.

“Hi Binnie!” Jisung chirps, smiling broadly. He’s all honey-warm skin, caramel eyes, straw blond hair; he looks like he could blend right into the treeline with no problem, which he can and will do just to piss Changbin off sometimes. “And Felix! Lixie, Lixie, hi!”

“Hi,” Felix replies, still laughing at Changbin’s misfortune. “I bring gifts.”

Minho perks up at that, smiling turning a little sweeter.

“From Chan?” he asks.

“That’s right. Nice to meet you, by the way," Felix says.

“You’d have met me earlier if you weren’t so careful," Minho retorts, stepping into the water; it rushes just above his knees, but he walks across as if it were completely still. “So smart of you.”

Felix laughs again, only a touch more nervously.

“C’mon, I’ll get you across," Minho offers, holding his hands out.

Felix’s eyes flick between Minho, Jisung, and Changbin with trepidation. It’s, surprisingly,  _ not _ towards Minho as far as Changbin can tell.

“People don’t usually ask me to touch them.”

“Good thing I’m not a person," Minho retorts drily. “C’mon now, I’ll carry you across like a princess and everything; Jisung says you weigh like a twig. It’ll be great.”

Changbin and Jisung watch as Felix blushes bright red, causing Minho to laugh and coo mockingly at the same time. As Felix is carefully maneuvering himself into Minho’s arms, Jisung leans down to whisper into Changbin's ear, eyes locked on them.

“I can’t believe I’m about to lose my boyfriend to Felix,” is what Jisung settles on. “I cannot believe this at all. I’m betrayed.”

Changbin’s resulting smack to the back of Jisung’s head claps loud enough that Minho cackles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually really love minho and felix interactions tbh
> 
> also Seungmin will b arriving he is just a special cookie and needs a lil bit of set up!!!
> 
> can u tell i like the concept of sublime ldkfjglkdjf
> 
>  
> 
> [tomblr 4 xtra chittering](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nyello!!! a note I keep forgetting to add: Felix's abilities are kinda inspired by rogue from xmen and [surrender by chimaekjin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17018871/chapters/40010463) which is wonderful and great and y'all should give it a look if you're interested !!! I will say no more bc i dont want to accidentally put spoilers for anything but if ur curious u can just ask :)

Minho drops Felix off on the other side of the river with a huffy laugh, and then steps out. He’s dressed in typical fae manner-- glittering gossamer and rivulets of precious metals-- and the wet fabric sticks to his skin without shame.

“Thank you. Would you like some help drying?” Felix asks after a moment, placing the bag on the forest floor once more.

“I’ll dry with time,” Minho says. “Unless you want to be rid of your debt already?”

Felix shrugs, smile quirking to the side.

“I don’t mind either way. I just thought maybe you’d want to be dry.”

“I’m kind of curious as to how you’d do it, so I’ll take up the offer.”

It’s typical fae manner-- Minho’s head tilts, eyes brimming with curiosity. Felix lifts his hand skywards, and Changbin shoves Jisung away so he can sit up properly to watch; Jisung just resettles on Changbin’s lap comfortably, equally as curious. Felix eyes them three nervously before focusing.

He curls his fingers like there’s something there, and yanks, two loose threads dangling between his fingers. Balling them up, he sticks his hand under the collar of his shirt and on his back and then-- they’re gone when his hand returns.

Felix feels the threads burrow into his skin and curl in a thin spiral between his shoulder blades. The skin feels warm.

“Whoa,” Jisung says, head tilting to the side as he rubs his chest. “I felt that. I’ve never seen that before!”

“ ‘S not that exciting. That’s basically it," Felix says, shrugging. “Anyway, I’ll be quick, so you can have it back.”

Minho is giving Felix a thoughtful look, but he dutifully waves him along. Felix avoids making eye contact, instead taking a deep breath. The magic is there, like fog let loose in his chest-- it’s always hard to consolidate two different types of magic suddenly, considering he plucked both straight from the air in one shot.

It’s good that almost everything had magic; a being with magic couldn’t interact with something without magic, because then they’d have nothing to manipulate.

_ You can’t drink from an empty cup, _ a teacher had described it to Felix’s class once, when he was younger, and had to go through the mandatory amount of schooling despite the fact there was nobody around that was certified to help someone like him,  _ That’s what magic is like sometimes. Sometimes, it’s like trying to pour water into a container that’s sealed shut. There are things without magic, and those things must be respected. _

Nature was something that was rife with magic anywhere you went. You could pluck the winds and sun and sky, and they’d always have something for you.

Coincidentally, Felix had taken some wind, some sunshine, and now he twirled them together tightly. In a movement reminiscent of a conductor getting his orchestra’s attention, Felix held out a hand, and after a moment of calibration,  _ swiped. _

A sudden hot breeze ruffles through Minho’s skirts, wicking away the water like a hair dryer on high-- except this hair dryer kept a regulated temperature as it grazed Minho’s skin, careful to not burn. The fabric flutters into a more decently opaque blue chiffon, and once he’s dry, Felix closes his hand into a fist and pulls it towards his heart. The wind tapers off and the air returns to its normal temperature, and Jisung lets out a “holy  _ shit” _ that has Felix losing focus.

“Are you okay?” Felix asks Minho, just as Minho turns to Jisung and says, “Can I keep him?”

“You can’t just  _ keep _ people on this side of the veil,” is what Jisung says before scrambling up towards Felix; he grabs both of Felix’s hands, eyes wide and grin wider. “That was amazing!”

“Oh,” Felix says, brain buffering. “Oh, thank you?”

“Can you see the veil?” Minho asks, resting his chin on Jisung’s shoulder comfortably to look at Felix; like all fae, his gaze is unintentionally piercing, and Felix is still buffering  _ hard. _

“Um,” Felix squeaks out. “I can see-- I can see the magic that’s a part of the veil?”

“So you can see the veil," Minho summarizes simply.

“I guess.”

“You can just pull it like that?” Jisung asks, grabbing Felix’s attention once more. “No pretense?”

“I have to look for loose threads most of the time," Felix admits, shrugging. “Hey, aren’t you gonna open Chan’s gift?”

“Oh! Oh, right, okay, that’s what you brought," Jisung fumbles for the bag, untying the top hastily. “Look babe, this ribbon is so pretty!”

Jisung distractedly begins tying the ribbon around Minho’s graceful throat, and Minho just giggles and let’s him; there’s a surprisingly diverse range of emotions flared across his face, and Felix looks to the side, making his way up into the treeline. It felt like he was witnessing something intimate-- a faerie capable of loving something so earthly, with such a mix of feelings? Felix would have never believed it if he hadn’t witnessed it.

Breathing deeply, Felix lets the threads unravel down his arm. It feels uncomfortable, the skin already tender from his last magical stint.

“Gods, that looks like it hurts,” Changbin says, and Felix startles.

“Doesn’t bother me,” Felix lies, forcing himself to stay still. Being watched while practicing magic was stifling.

(It invoked a little seed of fear, something deep set, something Felix didn’t like to touch.)

“Changbinnie, look!” Minho says, fingers dancing over the surprisingly neat bow Jisung managed to tie at the base of Minho’s throat.

Changbin turns towards the other two; in that moment, Felix expels the magic from himself with a wave, the movement forceful. Two little red pin pricks pop up on the top of his wrist from his careless actions.

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” Felix whispers into the air.

_ “Whoa,” _ Jisung says again, banging his chest lightly. “Did you put the magic, like, back? It hit me and, like,  _ wow, _ it’s like I didn’t even feel it missing ‘til it was back!”

“I only took a little bit, so it wouldn’t make a big impact," Felix promises.

“It’s no biggie,” Jisung assures, pulling open a bag of gummy frogs. “Lookit! Chan really knows the way to my heart, huh?”

With that, Jisung holds a little strawberry red frog to Minho’s lips, and Minho indulges him by eating it. Changbin looks back at Felix, offering his hand to help him down from the raised treeline. Felix blinks owlishly at him.

“C’mon, or else Sungie will eat ‘em all by himself. Those cheeks aren’t for show,” Changbin jokes.

“This is discrimination,” Jisung whines, puffing out his cheeks counterproductively.

Felix laughs, and carefully takes Changbin’s hand to hop down. Changbin’s hand is surprisingly warm, and he squeezes Felix’s hand softly; Felix squeezes back.

* * *

Jeongin is still napping when Felix gets back, having successfully sequestered some gummy frogs for him. Settling down next to him, Felix pulls out his phone and sends Woojin a text.

[Innie hurt his leg :< can you come by some time to check on it? I patched him up but your hands are always the best uwu]

With that, Felix sighs and gently pets the top of Jeongin’s head. Jeongin wakes slowly, and when he noses Felix’s hands, he makes little confused sniffing noises.

“Ah, I met one of Jisungie’s friends and his boyfriend today when I delivered his package,” Felix says. “You might be smelling them. A necromancer and a fae, so I’m sorry if it smells weird.”

Jeongin makes a little understanding noise before turning to face Felix more properly.

“I also already texted Woojin, and as soon as you’re feeling better we’ll visit Hyunjinnie, yeah? Get some good sleep.”

Jeongin hop-waddles over onto Felix’s lap, getting comfortable with Felix’s fingers running through his fur, before he settles again. With a little pleasant chirp and a nod, he goes right back to sleep. Jeongin’s fur is soft, and Felix decides to revel in the feeling before he loses courage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwu
> 
> again i update in weird intervals so??? ye
> 
>  
> 
> [tombl](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nyello lads finals kicked my ass but im here im queer and ive brought a chunkier chapter than usual that has some gentle conflict *finger guns*
> 
> if u see any errors feel free to tell me uwu!!!

Some clouds had rolled in overnight, but Hyunjin is still sunbathing, unbothered and patient. He looks endlessly pleased to see Jeongin once they’re in sight, even if Jeongin is still limping softly. Felix wanders a little bit behind, watching Jeongin for any signs that he needed some help, but the little fox reaches the edge of the lake where Hyunjin is lounging stomach-down perfectly fine.

“Innie!” Hyunjin coos, kissing Jeongin’s nose softly. When he grins, his needle sharp teeth are on full display; despite that, he’s still unbelievably beautiful. “Lixie!”

“Hey Jinnie,” Felix says, dropping down to sit on the gravel a couple feet away, placing Chan’s care package down gently. “How’s it goin’?”

“I braided a whole bunch of new trinkets into Yeji’s hair last night,” Hyunjin says happily, silver-violet tail flicking around eagerly. “And she didn’t have any more reasonable room, so she put her old pearls in mine.”

Hyunjin shakes his head, the iridescent glow of tiny pearls showing between the sun bleached brown of his hair. They compliment the deep, glowing violet of his eyes and the warm tan of his skin wonderfully.

“I’m glad she’s put them to good use,” Felix jokes as Hyunjin gently scratches behind Jeongin’s ear with his long nails. “I had a hell of a time charming them.”

“She wore them for a whole year!”

At that, Felix smiles sweetly. Yeji had collected the pearls over time, and once Hyunjin had told her he had met a witch, she’d been adamant on getting them charmed with extra luck. Felix had offered to do her one better; he’d drill them through so they could be laced _and_ charm them. She’d been thrilled at his results, and now she and Hyunjin regularly brought him fish and other lake treats for charms.

“If she wants me to charm the new ones--” Felix says, trailing off as Jeongin starts huffily stomping all over Hyunjin’s back. “--Yes Innie?”

Jeongin bounces from side to side, Hyunjin pretending to try and knock him over with no force. He chuffs softly. Felix thinks he wants him to tell Hyunjin that he’s stuck in his fox form for now.

“I see,” Felix says very seriously.

Well. Felix _can_ only guess after all.

“What?” Hyunjin asks, nose scrunching up in confusion and concern.

“Innie is jealous and wants all of your attention,” Felix says with utmost confidence, ignoring Jeongin’s indignant squeaks and Hyunjin’s faintly icy blush. “Well! I guess I’ll leave you two to it, then. Keep Innie safe, Hyunjin~ I’ll pick him up when Woojin gets here!”

With that, Felix stands up and wipes off his pants, ignoring Jeongin’s argumentative noises. They suspiciously sound like, _Lee Felix you get back here right now and tell him what I want you to say!_ But it’s not like Felix speaks fox or anything, so he ignores him.

“Um-- um, okay,” Hyunjin says in confusion. “Are you sure about that?”

“Very~” Felix sing-songs from the treeline, “Don’t forget to open Chan’s gifts!” and then he’s gone.

* * *

 

There’s probably a lot of words to describe Jisung and Minho, and Felix can think of a few as he watches them bicker on the riverbed from where he’s sitting on the ancient stone bridge he always takes to and from home. Playful is one of them-- he can’t count how many times Minho has scared Jisung on purpose, or how many times Jisung managed to steal a piece of jewelry from Minho and hang it on a tree branch. Obnoxious too, considering they keep splashing Felix when they have impromptu water fights. Cute because Jisung likes to sneak kisses onto Minho’s cheeks when he thinks Felix isn’t looking. Tender, from the way Minho holds onto Jisung’s elbow so the current doesn’t sweep him away.

The main one, though, is _powerful;_ he can feel, so acutely it almost hurts, how _powerful_ the two are. Jisung is in his home turf, fueled by the mere existence of nature, tempered into layers of strength under his skin. However long Jisung has been alive has collected within him like rings in a tree, and Felix can’t help but admire how thick and sturdy the ropes of his magic are; there’s very few frays, to the point that the only way Felix would ever be able to steal from him were if Jisung either willingly gave him magic or--

Or, if Felix used the full extent of his magic to tear the rope apart.

He shudders silently and kicks at the river distractedly. His toes barely graze the water, but the river still pats his skin kindly. He wonders, briefly, how the river could be so kind to him.

Minho’s magic is time worn too, but there’s nothing earthly about it. Instead, something about Minho tells Felix that he wasn’t like the fae who worked within this world by stealing children or creating faerie rings. No, Minho was _pure_ fae, the kind of fae who’s magic was entirely otherworldly and more powerful than most things that lingered on earth. He was like a glass of potencia, like if Felix took a sip his nature would never be able to stop until he’d drunk the whole bottle and taken all of that magic in. A drug of silvery-blue spiderwebs wrapped up in skin and bones.

It was eerily similar to the veil between the fae world and this one; the veil was made of that same potencia, pure magical energy waiting to be used, undistilled and wild. It makes Felix wonder just how old Minho truly is. Potencia is powerful stuff, and Felix has only ever taken some of it once before.

He shudders again and distinctly hopes Minho never touches him skin to skin.

After a while the couple end up on either side of Felix, Minho humming as he lays back and sunbathes. Felix is reminded of Hyunjin, and he wonders if they’d get along. He’d have to introduce them someday.

“Jisung,” Felix says after a beat, turning to the nature spirit. “Those witches came to bother Jeongin again.”

Jisung’s whole face contorts in irritation and he huffs, put out.

“I felt them lurking around, but I thought the forest would scare them off again.”

“Me too. . .” Felix sighs. “We have to do something about them.”

“Why are they hunting the shifter?” Minho asks. “Shouldn’t they know better?”

“Well,” Felix starts, chewing at his cheek. “There’s this myth that if you trap a fox shifter, and bind them as your familiar, then you’ll be blessed with extra power.”

“That’s dumb,” Minho says immediately. “That’s not how magic works at all.”

“I know!” Felix and Jisung say simultaneously, and then they both elbow each other.

“ _Anyway,”_ Jisung says, “I don’t know where people get this junk from; literally everything in magic works better when there’s nothing being forced too hard. Plus, I only ever get one or two shifters every other generation anyway if it’s particularly blessed, so it’s a waste of their time. It’s good Younghyun found himself a nice witch to bond with way back.”

“Jae isn’t _nice,”_ Minho immediately argues, sitting up quickly. “Jae is a _dumbass.”_

“Same difference,” Jisung says with a wave.

“Most earthly mortals are dumbasses,” Felix adds softly, shrugging when Jisung smacks him lightly. “It’s true, ‘specially when compared to old fae like Minho.”

“I like earthly mortals,” Jisung defends, ignoring Minho’s indignant squawk at the mention of his age. He makes sure to smack Felix’s thigh a few times.

“Of course you do, dear, you’re an earthly spirit,” Minho consoles him, reaching around to pat Jisung’s side; surprisingly, he wraps his arm around Felix cozily for a moment with a tug. Felix shivers, thankful for the layers he wears religiously; high waisted jeans, undershirt, shirt, hoodie. “C’mon, lay down with me a little Felix. You’re an earthly mortal, aren’t you? Tell me some of the things you all do, I don’t leave the forest much.”

Felix hesitates, but then Jisung lays down and offers his arm as a pillow, and he finally accepts. Today, Felix is feeling a little. . . loose; leaving Jeongin in Hyunjin’s care meant the fox was possibly at his safest for the time being, _especially_ if he’d recruited Yeji into hanging out. Woojin was on his way for a checkup and a visit, which was why they were waiting on the bridge in the first place, and that always guaranteed a good day at the end. It’s high time he sets his unnerved feelings to the side.

So Felix more or less settles himself, Jisung curls into his side, and Minho props himself on his elbow to look down at them. Felix feels. . . nervous. Fae are infamously jealous, and Felix had crossed paths with a few of the nastier ones back when he lived in cities, but Minho seems calm and composed; there’s something like fondness in his eyes when Jisung rests his cheek on Felix’s shoulder. _It must be his age,_ Felix reasons, trying to relax, _you don’t live so long on a short temper._

“What do you want to know?” Felix asks.

“Tell me about city fae if you know anything about them,” Minho requests, lips slowly curling. “Because you seem a little afraid of me.”

Felix whines at being called out, turning to hide against Jisung as Jisung laughs. Felix can _feel_ the look they give each other over his head, and he just tries to burrow with a little more passion.

 _It’s not that,_ he wants to say, but it’s easier to take the out than not.

“Aw, don’t be shy,” Minho cooes, poking Felix’s side ruthlessly. “I wanna know what’s goin’ on is all.”

Felix squirms, and Jisung bats Minho away.

“Give him a chance to answer babe, jeez,” Jisung says, patting Felix’s back.

“Most city fae are. . . are young,” Felix says after a moment, raising his voice so Minho can hear him despite his curled up position. “Mostly changelings. They know I can tell they’re changelings so they don’t like me much.”

Minho drags his palm between Felix’s shoulder blades carefully. It’s supposed to be comforting, Felix thinks. He suppresses a squirm.

“A lot of them are mischievous, but I’ve met changelings who act like earthly mortals and like it just fine in the cities,” Felix pauses, thinking, before he turns over to look at Minho. “I’m not mad at the ones who don’t like me. Changelings don’t choose to be changelings, do they?” Minho shakes his head. “I thought as much. It’s not their fault, but they’re ostracized for their nature; of course someone who can tell they’re fae intimidates them. It’s okay that they’re a little mean when I think of it that way, that they’re afraid.”

This time, Felix sees the look Minho and Jisung share, and he wonders what they’re thinking. There’s something uncomfortable about having a glimpse into what they share, and Felix is slowly learning that he always feels like an intruder between them.

“How long have you two known each other?” Felix blurts out, flopping onto his back. The damp press of stone doesn’t bother him much through his layers.

“I’ve known Jisung since the forest was large enough to support the veil,” Minho says, and Felix gapes.

“That’s-- that’s a lot of time,” Felix stutters out, eyes drifting in the direction where he knows the veil is, settled at the intersection of two ley lines at the very center of the forest. “I thought-- well.”

“What’d you think~?” Jisung sing-songs, ready to tease Felix at will.

“I just, I thought, I don’t know!” Felix sputters. “That you two were like. . . a new thing? Being together, I mean.”

“Nah,” Minho assures, flopping across both Felix and Jisung easily; both grunt at Minho’s weight. “Sungie and I have known each other for a long time. I just had some thing’s to sort out for a while.”

“I see terrorizing the youth is in now,” a voice says, and Felix’s whole body warms with joy and relief when he sees Woojin trotting onto the bridge. “But I’ve come to collect one whole Felix, and I’ll leave with nothing less.”

“Woojin!” Felix cheers freeing one arm and reaching out for him. Woojin crouches and gently takes Felix’s hand in both of his, dwarfing it. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Woojin says before tilting his head to look at Jisung and Minho. “And how are my favorite married couple?”

“Marriage is fake,” Minho grouches, but he rolls off and hugs Woojin by the shoulders regardless.

“Wishing I could convince Minho to stop switching out our wedding rings for knuckle dusters,” Jisung plays along cheerfully, trying to tackle Woojin over only to be met with stiff resistance.

“They’re not _knuckle dusters,_ they’re _proper rings._ If you ever gave me a ring that wasn’t tiny as hell--” Minho starts, and off they go on an argument Felix had never been privy to but can tell is well worn. Woojin just laughs and helps Felix stand up, obviously unconcerned as their voices rise.

“Ah, they always get like this,” Woojin says, gently taking Felix’s hand again; Felix preens a little, flushing pleasantly. Woojin’s touch was like a straight shot of endorphins to him. “That’s why I do it though, because they’d keep us here all day if we let them. Let’s go.”

With a gentle tug and a cheery, “goodbye! See you soon!”, they’re off. Woojin knows the path to the lake, and he guides Felix with unending ease. Felix likes Woojin and his magic, possibly the most out of anyone he’s ever met; everything about Woojin was healing to be around, and he always held onto Felix with a gentleness that belied well-built strength. Quite frankly, Woojin could pick Felix up and toss him around with no hesitation, and Felix would struggle to do anything about it because that had nothing to do with his magic.

Maybe that’s what Felix liked most about Woojin; if Felix ever touched his magic, Woojin would be _fine._ He didn’t rely entirely on his abilities, and Felix couldn’t hurt him the same way he could hurt Hyunjin, or Jeongin, or hell, even Jisung and Minho if he ever really put his mind to it.

“What are you thinking about, Freckles?” Woojin asks gently, swinging their joined hands between them. “You haven’t looked at me once since we left Minho and Jisung behind.”

Felix shakes his head and looks up at Woojin. Woojin looks back with no hesitation, brown eyes warm and soft, and Felix sighs.

“Thinking,” he replies simply, head resting on Woojin’s shoulder. “About. . . about magic.”

“Ooh, always interesting to hear your thoughts on that,” Woojin says honestly and he squeezes Felix’s hand encouragingly.

“I met Changbin and Minho on the same day,” Felix says. “Changbin was interesting, because his magic looks very sturdy, but Minho. . . he’s almost entirely potencia.”

Woojin is silent at that, pace slowing.

“Potencia is. . .” Woojin starts after a beat, voice unsure.

 _“Strong,”_ Felix fills in as they stutter to a stop. He nestles up to Woojin, unsure if he wants to continue his train of thought. Woojin hugs Felix with his free arm, careful to not add any more skin-on-skin contact than their joined hands.

Touching Felix was a danger Woojin never worried about. Touching Felix was a danger Felix almost always worried about.

“It doesn’t bother me when it’s through my clothes, yeah?” Felix mumbles, free hand hanging limp at his side. “But if he touches me, _really_ touches me--”

“Nothing’s gonna happen,” Woojin whispers, tries to make it sound like a promise.

Felix knows better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _potencia_ is potential in spanish if u were curious, like potential energy: la energía potencial de una pelota en la orilla de una mesa, stuff like dat. it can also refer to something that is very strong/has power, i.e. la potencia del olor. i kept calling that in my head and i decided fuck it and added it in
> 
> i have. . . THOUGHTS on where this is goin tbh and at this point im p sure i know what the 2nd act low point is gonna b hmmmmmmm but im curious to hear ur thoughts on the path so far :D!!!
> 
>  
> 
> [tombl if u want xtra chitchattin!!!](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my tenses. . . r garbage,,,,,,, its been so long since ive written in past tense that im rusty pls forgive me
> 
> some woojin and felix backstory and the introduction of the best boi :D

Woojin had always been the kind of clever that left people floored, though that had never been his intention; cleverness used for kindness always left people floored, and that’s what he did, and really there’s nothing much else to it. He’s a natural healer, kind and soft, but healing is not for the weak by any means.

Kim Woojin met Lee Felix in the younger’s penultimate year in highschool. Felix’s hair was dark, and he was bundled up despite the summer heat, and he had a slight trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth which is what caught Woojin’s attention. He’d been working at a small clinic and was in love; both with the job and maybe with someone who came much too often for help with insomnia, but that’s a story for another time. Currently, Woojin was making his way to the clinic, and Felix was waiting for the bus with jittery legs, and it was serendipity, destiny, fate-- whatever it was,  _ it is. _

“Hey,” Woojin called out, and the kid jumped, eyelids fluttering. “Are you gonna go into the clinic?”

“No,” a surprisingly deep voice answered, head tilting to the side. “Why?”

“Well, you’re bleeding a little right there,” Woojin pointed at the corner of his mouth, and the kid covered his mouth with white sweater paws hesitantly, face surprised. “Hold on, woah, don’t stain your jacket, there’s tissues inside. C'mon, I'll go with you.”

“No, no, its fine,” the kid said. “It's just. . . a side effect, of, of my magic.”

“Still, let me just clean you up a little, yeah?” Woojin cajoled with a smile, one he knows makes him look dashing but approachable. “I work there, and I'd be lying if I said having a calm first consultation wouldn't thrill me.”

The boy considered for a moment, conflict in his eyes. Woojin rocked back on his heels softly. The boy sighed, standing up and picking up his book bag from the floor.

“Let's go,” the boy said quietly, and Woojin beamed.

“I'm Woojin,” he said as he guided Felix over. “And you?”

“Felix.”

* * *

There's a reason healing isn't for the faint of heart, and Woojin knows it well: the existence of pain is continual, the only assured constant when you're bestowed with healing magic. You have to sit, and witness pain, and no matter what you  _ can _ do, you can  _ never _ stop the pain from happening in the first place. You can ease it after it starts, but it'll always find its way in before you can snuff it out.

Felix, as Woojin learned, was in a type of pain that Woojin couldn't understand at first. He’d sat Felix on a bed with the curtains drawn, gave him a few wet wipes, and said, “let’s sign you in, yeah? It’ll be a minute to bring the papers.” Felix hesitated, but eventually nodded and dabbed at his lips. Woojin trotted off to where his favorite child, Seungmin, was manning the front desk that day. Seungmin smiled brightly at Woojin. All was right in the world for a riveting three seconds.

“I clocked you in,” he said, and Woojin is reminded as to why Seungmin deserves his favorite child status. “And I took a patient sheet from under Yeonji’s nose for your friend.”

“My early graduate genius child--” Woojin cooed, immediately going to smother Seungmin in a hug just to hear him whine about how embarrassing he is. “--what would I do without you?”

“Embarrass someone else, hopefully,” Seungmin said, but he rested his cheek on Woojin’s chest regardless. “Now shoo.”

Woojin took the sheets, already graciously placed on a clipboard with a pen, and squeezed Seungmin's shoulder in thanks. When he returned to Felix, the younger boy had stripped his hoodie off to reveal a red long sleeve shirt.

“You must put up real well with the heat, huh?” Woojin asked lightly, plucking the pen from the clip and doing a quick flick through what he could fill out himself.

Felix shrugged, rubbing the wet wipe on his wrist where little red pin pricks dotted his skin. Woojin squinted at Felix’s skin curiously.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“It's caused by my magic,” Felix dismissed quickly, pulling at his sleeves. “It's just. . . like that.”

Self destructive magic wasn't unheard of, but Woojin knew natural cases were rare; usually, magic only caused its user harm if it's continuously misused. So he refused to drop it, instead placing the clipboard to the side and getting closer to Felix.

“That's not typical,” Woojin said, holding a hand out. “Do you mind if I take a look?”

Felix didn't budge, staring at Woojin's hand with surprising intensity. It was  _ very _ weird, and Woojin felt a little unnerved; it kind of seemed like Felix wasn't  _ looking _ as much as he was  _ seeing. _

“ ‘s probably not a good idea,” Felix finally decided, fingers tangling together, the wipe dried and woven like a braid, peeking out between skin. “Thanks though. Let me fill those papers out for you, yeah?”

* * *

Seungmin gently corralled Woojin into one of the more private rooms with an actual door a few weeks later, voice low and worried.

“It's the same kid you brought in a while back,” Seungmin said, frowning. “He's all. . . I dunno. I could tell something was wrong but I can't see anything?”

“Thank you Minnie,” Woojin said genuinely when they finally enter the room.

“It's no problem,” Seungmin said, squeezing Woojin's arm gently before raising his voice a little. “Hey Felix, I brought Woojin. If you need anything else, you know where to find me.”

Seungmin smiled at Felix, and Felix managed a small wobble in return from where he was sitting patiently. Felix seemed more drawn, brows scrunched in some kind of pain that Woojin could almost taste, and Woojin felt concern well up. Seungmin quietly shut the door behind himself, and Woojin plastered on his least threatening smile.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing the rolling stool they keep in each room and sitting across from Felix. “What's up?”

“I made. . . a mistake,” Felix said slowly, voice low and unsure.

“Okay,” Woojin said soothingly. “That's alright. I'm only here to help, alright? So whatever happened, I'm gonna make sure you come out of here at least a little bit better.”

Felix's leg shook, up-down up-down, incessant, and Woojin waited diligently. Eventually, he pushed the sleeve of his hoodie up, peeled back his shirtsleeve, to reveal burning red streaks all across his arms. They didn't look like cuts, or normal scrapes, but like something  _ underneath _ his skin had pressed up in a bid to escape.

“Has to do with my magic,” Felix said, not looking up. “I thought it'd go down like usual but it hasn't and I don't really know what to do.”

“That's alright,” Woojin said, even though it most certainly was not. This was something he'd never quite seen before. “To help you, I'd need to touch you, though. My magic is reactionary through touch.”

Felix pursed his lips.

“I don't mean to be rude,” Felix said carefully. “But that's not true.”

“. . . What?”

“That's not true.  _ One _ aspect is reactionary through touch,” Felix's words were slow, tongue wrapping around each syllable deliberately. “You have a projection aspect.”

Woojin  _ blinkblinkblinked. _

“What,” he said.

“I guess it's not very well developed though?”

_ “What.” _

Felix  _ blinkblinkblinked. _

“You didn't know?” Felix asked suddenly. “Oh, you didn't know.”

“I'm gonna admit that this is starting to freak me out,” Woojin said decisively, voice brooking no room for arguments. “And you're gonna let me heal you  _ right now.” _

“Yes sir,” Felix said obediently, sticking out his hand like a thoroughly scolded child

“Yes, thank you.”

With that, Woojin carefully took Felix's hands into both of his and closed his eyes. Felix's nose scrunched up. Woojin did what he always had-- he let his magic start from his touch, and walk each vein like a well-worn path. It works like this; magic dances across capillaries, plunges through arteries, and makes sure to sightsee at each muscle, sinew, and bone without discrimination. At each sign of damage, it stretches its fingers out and just gently. . .  _ claws _ the issue away, packs it into its bags and moves on once it’s done. Really, the clawing is just him setting the body up right to heal as it should at an accelerated pace, but the image always stuck with him and helped him through regardless.

Once he did about three rounds of this (just to be sure), all those little bags came back to Woojin, and he catalogued them in his mind. Inflammation lined scrapes on the inner muscles.

“Okay,” Woojin said, but when he looked at Felix, he fumbled out a, “Not okay?”

Felix was just. . . crying. It very much scared the shit out of Woojin. Felix was just crying silently and not looking at Woojin and Woojin was feeling  _ a lot _ of things but mostly, distress won out.

“Are you in any kind of pain?” Woojin asked, letting go of Felix.

“Nah,” Felix said. He rubbed the smooth, clean skin of his arm reverently. “It just doesn't hurt anymore? I didn't know so much hurt.”

And in that moment, Kim Woojin had two brilliant revelations: one, that Felix had been living with such continual low level pain that he hadn't actually know he had been in pain until it was gone, and two, that he was never going to let Felix go without finding out how to help him ever again.

“I really like your magic a lot, Woojin,” Felix said, voice watery. “It's good magic. You've made it very good magic.”

* * *

Felix came in once for scraped up arms and knees, a nasty looking fall that had yet to heal well over a week after it happened.

“I cleaned it and disinfected,” Felix promised Woojin quietly. “Mom gave me some triple antibiotic cream too and I've been using it.”

“There's remnants of magic here and there,” Woojin said, and Felix's mouth snapped shut. He stayed silent after that.

* * *

Usually the saying goes, third time's the charm, right? But it took five more interspersed visits from Felix for magic infected cuts before Woojin got some of the answers he was looking for. On Felix's whopping  _ ninth _ visit in  _ three _ months, Woojin felt something in the air of the private room Felix is holed up in. Seungmin was also in there, not as an employee since he had just gotten off when Felix had stumbled in, but as a tentative friend.

Felix looked pale and tired and he had been shaking like a leaf in the wind despite being totally bundled up. Seungmin had him sat on the bed, one arm slung securely around Felix's waist as if he were afraid of Felix tipping right over.

“What happened?” Woojin asked as he stepped in, concern bubbling in his chest.

“I'm a thief,” Felix said, voice hoarse as if he'd been screaming, or throwing up, or something equally as horrible to think about. “I'm a thief, and I accidentally took potencia, and I threw it all up, and now I feel so empty, and I'm sorry for not telling you before but I need help please,  _ please, _ it hurts--”

“Hey,” Seungmin interrupted softly, watching Felix descend into hysterics with his own barely concealed tears. “Hey, it's okay. Woojin's going to help you, right?”

“Of course,” Woojin breathed out thoughtlessly, grabbing the stool to sit in front of them. “Of course, you'll be okay Felix, it's okay.”

* * *

Woojin had been a late bloomer.

Usually, magic showed itself at around 6 to 8 years of age in most people; there are outlier cases, of course, of people gaining it younger and older, but the general consensus was that magic showed itself young, but not too young.

It turned out Felix and him, they were the main outliers.

Woojin’s magic revealed itself when he was fifteen. Felix had never not had his magic. Woojin would call it serendipity, destiny, fate, if he were more into divination. As it is, he's never really stopped thinking of it as exactly what was meant to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seungmin my sweet summer child you have arrived and i lov u
> 
>  
> 
> [tombl if u want xtra chitchattin!!!](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took forever  
> finger guns  
> im a slow updater lol
> 
> we have hyunjin bein cute in this chapter so yknow. i feel like i can be forgiven a little.

Woojin coddles Jeongin in subtle ways, keeping him calm with pets as he checks him over. It's only a preliminary projection-- Felix sees a white belljar trapping Jeongin, Woojin’s magic covering him for examination-- but Woojin seems satisfied.

“It's as good as my own,” Woojin states proudly. “Good job, Felix.”

“Thanks,” Felix says bashfully, watching Hyunjin feed Jeongin chips while Woojin moves onto petting the siren instead.

Hyunjin looks happy, cheeks pressed into a permanent smile and eyes squinting in glee. He's best when he's surrounded by doting, and Felix watches with contentment. Hyunjin's magic is subdued, curled in his throat in tightly woven braids twinned together; Felix has seen it unfurl once, the first time they met and Hyunjin had tried to drown him. Admittedly, Felix carrying a passed out fox Jeongin had distressed Hyunjin, so Felix wasn't mad about it.

(He had ripped Hyunjin's magic right out of the air, snapping some of the nylon chords in his duress; siren songs lowered your inhibitions, which meant Felix couldn't quite control how his nature reacted. He then yelled, “he fucking passed out on my lawn and told me to bring him here, help goddamn it!”, and it's all a panicked blur after that. He obviously gave Hyunjin his magic back at some point. They don't talk about it.)

“It looks like Spring has settled in,” Felix says after a moment, mirroring Changbin's words to him. “Sungie is probably gonna go back to the city soon, huh?”

“I think so, I don't think there's gonna be much change anymore,” Hyunjin offers cheerily, munching on a chip. “Doesn't feel like it in the water.”

“That's good. Pretty sure Chan and Changbin are on the brink of crying over this debut album they're producing for some new boy group,” Woojin fills in. “Jisung is probably brimming with ideas now that Minho's back too.”

The air fills up with chatter-- about Woojin singing the guides for the songs, about Hyunjin's new obsession with a phone game, Jeongin chittering here and there to make his opinions known-- and Felix watches. He feels calmer now than earlier, and in his mind he begins to expedite his and Jisung's plan to scare those witches off for good. His nerves around Minho had left him unable to fully think straight, but now it was building up well in his mind. It'd have to be soon, before Jisung left. And maybe, with a little lover's magic, Minho would pitch in too.

Felix is so engrossed in his thoughts, it takes Woojin a few tries to get his attention.

"Felix!" Woojin sighs out, tapping his arm lightly.

"Sorry, sorry, I zoned out," Felix says sheepishly, resting his head on Woojin's shoulder. "What is it?"

Woojin has Jeongin on his lap, untouched but otherwise cozy, and he pets Felix's back. Hyunjin pouts at being left out of the cuddles, squirming.

"I was saying that Seungmin told me he was going to visit tomorrow," Woojin repeats. "I'm off tomorrow too. So I was saying, why not have a little get together? With the way Jeongin's healing, he'll be good to transform back by tomorrow, if not tonight. I'll make sure Chan and Changbin don't rot in the studio and see some daylight, Minho wouldn't miss a party for the world, Jisung is horrible at minding his own business. It all works out."

"What about me?" Hyunjin asks, still pouting as he rolls on his back and stares Woojin down with puppy eyes. It's completely ineffective.

" _ You _ somehow  _ lost _ your moonstone," Woojin reminds Hyunjin. “So no legs for you.”

"I can make him a new one," Felix offers softly, squirming a little. "I'll get it together tonight, and early tomorrow morning I'll get it to him so we can be ready by afternoon."

Hyunjin's puppy eyes move to Felix, melting into something warmer; despite their rocky start _ (--shiny nylon, wrapped around Felix's fist like a knuckle duster, Hyunjin wheezing and coughing--) _ Hyunjin and Felix had warmed up to each other a lot over the last year and a half. Right now, Hyunjin is looking at Felix like Felix is a soft plushy teddy bear that he wants to cuddle until it's shaped to fit perfectly in his arms.

"Would you?" he asks, like a child that might be denied if they speak too loudly.

"Of course," Felix replies immediately, frowning a little. "You should've asked me to make you one earlier if you wanted it."

"Thank you!" Hyunjin cries out, making a heart with his hands at Felix with a blinding grin; his eyes are totally scrunched up into crescents, whiskers popping out, and Felix feels like kissing Hyunjin's cheeks with how cute he's being.

"It's no problem," Felix says, smiling. "You're just lucky I have some extra moonstones from my trip."

Woojin seems happy at their dialogue despite being completely outside of it. He squeezes Felix gently.

_ A little bit of peace, _ Felix thinks.

* * *

Jeongin is settled on the back porch, watching Felix in the dark and keeping his jewelry tools safe. Felix himself is settled in the garden, whispering and smearing and burning; the moonlight is waxing, pouring over the scene, and even though Felix's back is to Jeongin, the moonstone is glowing a faint silver white gloriole around the witch. The ground is cut in with sigils, and the knife Felix used is tossed away carelessly-- Jeongin is also keeping an eye on that, because Felix gets cut by the reckless abandonment of his tools like it's going out of style.

The garden is alive, even when it’s asleep in the depths of the night; there are no night flowers ( _ yet, _ Jeongin assures himself, because he's been looking for night flowers around the forest and feels that he's getting close) but everything is quivering and breathing and gleaming. The chamomiles are humming around the clearing, and the lilies are trying their damnedest to touch Felix even in their curled up state. The vegetables are the most quiet at the moment, sleepy and safe underground, while the fruit plants preen for attention, newly sprouted leaves fluttering too eagerly in the breeze.

Felix's garden is full of love. Jeongin wouldn't trade his corner on the porch for the world.

Two minutes to 1 am, Felix stands up, knees cracking disturbingly loud, and picks up a glass bowl full of water, the glow of the single moonstone within it starting to die down. Felix trots over, drops off the bowl next to Jeongin, and rounds right back to start cleaning up. He's got a wicker basket in one arm painted green and blue, courtesy of a project they had both gotten  _ really _ into last summer.

(There's a stack of baskets of different colors covered in flower designs in the living room. Felix keeps them, even though Jeongin whines that the paint jobs came out horrible.)

Honestly, Jeongin hates being stuck in his fox form when he's with Felix; Felix could always use another pair of hands, since he's always working on various something's: charms, trinkets, spells, potions-- you name it, Felix is probably working on one. And then he just. . . gifts them. To other shifters wandering about, forest creatures that aren't too afraid of him, sometimes even a fae or two if they're truly in need. As if helping Jisung wasn't enough to pay his dues around the forest, Felix made it his mission to give to everything he could.

Felix sits down next to Jeongin, placing his basket to the side. He fishes out the moon stone with a frown.

"Ah, it's got a crack," he says softly, tracing a dark mark crawling across the flat back of the stone. "It's unstable because of the waxing moon. I'll make him a better one on the full moon."

Felix starts setting the stone into a silver holder regardless, pressed for time. As he works on getting a necklace together for Hyunjin, Jeongin nuzzles his nose into Felix's thigh.

Here he is, making a necklace for Hyunjin in the dead of night, all to ensure the rest of his friends can have a good day. Jeongin wonders how Felix does it.

"Hullo Innie," Felix says absently, carefully working the pincers of the silver holder shut over the gemstone. "You should go to sleep already, you know. You won't heal any faster exhausting yourself."

Jeongin chirps.

"Well, I can't boss you around any more than I already try to, hm? I'm almost done anyway."

It takes several more minutes of quiet work before Felix is satisfied, pocketing the necklace and standing. Sweeping up the basket, Felix opens the backdoor and waits for Jeongin to trot in before shutting and locking it with a spark of magic.

"Ah, your leg is finally fully going down," Felix notes, nudging open the door for the guest bedroom. "You'll be up and running in no time."

Jeongin chirps again, rubbing a cheek on Felix's leg. Felix smiles at him, sleepy and warm.

"Goodnight, Jeongin. Sleep well," he says, before going to clean up his tools.

Jeongin stays awake until he hears Felix go to bed.

* * *

Felix is up early the next morning, and Jeongin is finally well enough to shift into his human form. Felix looks delighted when a much lankier, sleepy Jeongin stumbles into the kitchen and sits on one of the stools. He's wearing some of Felix's clothes, his own having been too dusty for his nose to bear; he'd been wandering as just a fox for about a month at this point, being in an equally jumpy state as Jisung as the season shifted.

(He’d also been looking for night flowers. They’re easier to dig for when he’s small, okay?)

Younghyun had told Jeongin once that it'd, "go away as you get older or attached, honestly,"  but Jeongin also heard him tell Jae he looked good with a weird rattail braid once, so he's not sure if he trusts Younghyun's judgment.

"Mornin'," Felix says as he ruffles Jeongin's deep red hair when he walks by; it's a light, barely-there touch, Felix having long since mastered the art of just enough pressure. "How's your leg?"

"There's only a little mark left," Jeongin says, cheek nuzzled into his own palm. "It got irritated from the transformation, but it's always like that."

Felix just hums as he gets their breakfast put together. They eat in silence, both still tired, and once they more or less leave the kitchen looking okay, Felix pipes up.

"Get a basket with towels and something that'll fit Hyunjin," Felix requests lightly. "You're both getting too tall for this world. I left some work out last night."

As Felix starts to trot out, he pauses thoughtfully.

"And toss your clothes into the wash, yeah? I want you to meet someone,  _ officially, _ today."

Jeongin can only nod as he watches Felix exit through the backdoor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love jae and i will sing days gone by's praises til im dead but jae's rattail braid looked too much like young adult anikin's braid thing in The Worst Star Wars and i will not stand by it dklfjgldk the hair color tho. . . that was Gud Content OP
> 
>  
> 
> [Sometimes I'm Here](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long cause ive had it written for a while, but i had no wifi access to post it ljfdlsfgj
> 
> im also gonna go back and do some light editing on older chs, mostly just because i cant spell apparently

Getting Hyunjin into the cabin is always an adventure; he's in sweatpants and burritoed in three towels, being held steady between Felix and Jeongin. His land legs are always shaky at first, but between Felix gently reminding him to walk heel-toe, Jeongin's one-two count, and their slow pace, they manage to make it to the porch.

(Stairs are a unique challenge, and Felix briefly moans about how he should've taken Chan's offer to go to the gym together just so he could carry Hyunjin up and get it over with.)

"Okay," Felix breathes out, opening the door. "Okay, we need to get Hyunjin showered and dressed."

(As they pass the kitchen, Felix looks in briefly before breathing out a,  _ "thank the gods for slow cookers," _ like a blessing.)

"I remember how to shower like a human!" Hyunjin says cheerily, sending Felix a fluttering smile. "I can do that!"

"I've no doubt," Felix assures him as they waddle towards the bathroom together, a tight fit in the hall. "Innie, make sure he doesn't trip and die in the shower?"

"Of course!"

Felix clicks his tongue as they help Hyunjin into the bathtub, and once it seems like Hyunjin can stand on his own, he drags the hamper right next to the tub.

"Towels and clothes here. Be careful to not knock the necklace around too much, all the stuff you need is on the window sill, Hyunjin's clothes are in the linen closet, if you need help yell, I'm gonna dry the laundry and get the food ready.  _ Don't die." _

"Sir yes sir," Jeongin and Hyunjin reply simultaneously, Jeongin going as far as giving Felix a salute.

Felix salutes back before exiting, leaving the bathroom door open a crack. he goes to where he keeps the washer and dryer, the room just next to the bathroom, and starts transferring the clothes over the to dryer. While, yes, he  _ could _ get this done with magic, he's just  _ very _ tired. Felix's magic was fairly limited, and while he'd strengthened it over the years, without  _ stealing _ anything, it was still fairly weak. Plus, he had to renew his protection charms out front as soon as possible, so he had to save his energy.

So, conventional dryer it was.

For a cabin in the woods, it was incredibly advanced, all thanks to Jisung's work; both he and Felix had worked to install water tanks and plumbing and electricity with a mixture of tech and magic. Solar panels covered the roof, and out at the very back edge of the clearing were tanks that caught and stored rain water. Countless purification stones and temperature charms dotted those, and with a little bit of physics, gravity, and impulse charms, the cabin had running water. It had taken a long time to get it running, and to this day Felix still wonders why Jisung even offered him the cabin in the first place.

"It needs some work, but I'll get it done and you can move right in," Jisung had said, and Felix couldn't let him do all the work like that, had immediately protested. So instead, they did it together, and Felix had moved in once he felt he'd put in enough work to not feel too guilty.

He's still thinking about it when Hyunjin and Jeongin tumble out of the bathroom, both vaguely damp but otherwise okay. Jeongin had managed to wrestle Hyunjin into dark jeans and a nice blue button up, one Woojin had gotten him as a gift once he saw how often Hyunjin complimented some of his own, and was now forcing him to sit at the table.

"Don't move!" Jeongin says strictly with a pout, causing Felix to laugh. "Stop laughing! He didn't let me dry his hair!"

"The hair dryer is scary," Hyunjin whines, looking near tears when Felix spares them a glance.

"Just towel dry it, Innie," Felix dismisses easily. "He'll look handsome regardless, won't he?"

". . . I guess," Jeongin sighs out. "Let me grab a dry towel."

Felix washes and dries his hands, before pulling his sweater sleeves over them. Going over to Hyunjin's side, Felix wipes at his eyes soothingly, whisking away any moisture as gently as possible. The lake is a quiet place, no boats or cars ever making their way to it, so Felix knows Hyunjin isn't used to the loudness of running motors. Jeongin is  _ much _ more domesticated, between staying with Felix and wandering close to the roads that cut through the forest.

"Wanna help?" Felix asks Hyunjin as he gently pats the color back onto his cheeks. When Hyunjin nods, Felix gives him a small smile and returns to the kitchen counters. "You still remember how to handle a knife?"

"Yeah," Hyunjin replies, already sounding a little more relaxed. "Curl your fingers in, sharp part down."

"Our everyday genius," Felix coos, because even though Hyunjin is older, Felix takes care of the forest in Jisung's absence, and that includes Hyunjin.

Felix sits next to Hyunjin, balancing a big bowl, a cutting board, a knife, and several tinier bowls. Spreading them out, he starts to show Hyunjin how to cut up strawberries, apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers patiently. Jeongin carefully dries Hyunjin's hair with a faded SpongeBob towel Felix faintly remembers buying once upon a time. Once Felix is sure Hyunjin has gotten the hang of it, he shoos Jeongin into the shower.

"C'mon, get ready, we're gonna have guests after all," Felix says.

"You're in old jeans and the ugliest yellow sweater I've ever seen!" Jeongin complains.

"Don't be a brat," Felix says, but there's a titter to his voice. "I'm gonna grab your clothes from the dryer, how do those light blue jeans and the black and white striped long sleeve sound?"

Jeongin considers it for a moment.

"Sounds good," he finally decides, and when Felix brings him his clothes, he smiles like the sun.

"Should I turn on the radio?" Felix asks Hyunjin, who's cutting slowly but diligently.

"Yes please!"

Felix flicks the radio on, a dented old thing covered with stickers he couldn't bear to part with; it sat on the windowsill above the sink, voyeur and sentinel to Felix's life so far. Felix sings along to whatever pop song he recognizes, humoring Hyunjin when he stumbles over certain mortal phrases. He also has to remind Hyunjin to keep his charmspeak to a minimum, and Hyunjin flusters and apologizes quietly every time.

Jeongin is drying his hair when the first knock on the door comes. Felix is still dressed in ratty clothes, but at this point he's over being any kind of presentable  _ and _ getting everything done. He really let Woojin play him with this plan.

"Minnie!" Felix says happily when he sees Seungmin at the door. "Minnie, I missed you!"

"Midterms were killer," Seungmin sighs, but then they're hugging, and Seungmin is all brilliant smiles.

He's dressed in a white long sleeve shirt and a lilac t shirt, that  _ Felix _ got him thank you very much, and they're chattering about fashion as they reach the kitchen.

"Hyunjin, this is my friend Seungmin," Felix introduces, and when Hyunjin looks over, he yelps.

Seungmin blinks at him in confusion.

"You're Felix's pretty friend!" he says, and then his face turns an odd shade of ruddy purple-- his blood as a siren was blue, and in the transition to human it kept a bit of its royal tint, leaving Hyunjin with violet blushes and blooming lavender drops of blood.

"Um," Seungmin mumbles, caught off guard as he blushes too. "Thank you?"

Felix stares Hyunjin down.

"You," Hyunjin fumbles for a moment. "You bring him to the lake, sometimes. I've. I've seen him. He's pretty. You're pretty."

"You're very pretty too," Seungmin offers, and Hyunjin really looks like he's about to melt into the floorboards at any moment. Plucking at his shirt, Seungmin says, "And hey, we match?" while tapping is own cheeks to indicate Hyunjin's blush.

Hyunjin blushes harder. Jeongin trots out of the bathroom loudly, a whine in his voice when he stumbles onto the scene.

"Felix I can't find-- uh."

". . . Innie!" Felix says, turning Seungmin from Hyunjin and towards Jeongin instead. "This is my friend Seungmin, you know him already."

Jeongin waves, lips curled in a friendly but definitely vulpine smile.

"Him too?" Seungmin mutters.

"You know him too!" Felix says quickly. "He's the fox that escorts you out of the forest when I can't. He's a shifter. I wanted you two to finally officially meet today."

"Hi!" Jeongin says cheerily. "You're good company on walks, Seungmin."

Seungmin smiles, slightly shy still but definitely brilliant once more. Hyunjin chokes and starts chopping a little more passionately, ears nearly fuschia. Felix closes his eyes and collects his wits about him for a moment.

"I really need to change my protective charms since so many people are going to be here today," Felix says apologetically, leading Seungmin into the living room; it's small and well lived in, a fat couch against one wall and a loveseat with it back to the kitchen, and the other two walls covered in overflowing bookshelves. The coffee table is littered with stones, complementing the jewel toned pillows and throws and even the slightly gaudy stack of baskets.

"But I'll take good care of you while Felix is doing that, I promise," Jeongin says, leaning over the back of the loveseat as Seungmin sits one the couch. "Don't mind Hyunjin being a weirdo."

"He's pretty," Hyunjin defends himself weakly, going largely ignored.

"I'll be right back Min," Felix promises, grabbing two charms from the coffee table.

"Stay safe," Seungmin says, but it almost sounds like a threat, and Felix let's him kiss his forehead before leaving.

* * *

There hasn't been any disturbing noises from the cabin by the time Felix hops out from one of the trees that flank the entrance to the clearing. He keeps his protection charms up in the treetops, so that they can recharge naturally with the breeze and sun and rains. It's always slower charging than replacing them regularly, but there's usually very few things to protect within the clearing in the first place; usually, it's just Felix and Jeongin here, along with any critters that find themselves within Felix's protection, the occasional friend, and of course the garden.

But now, 9 people were going to be in there, so to be cautious, Felix went ahead and made two extra protective charms to work alongside of the one's already there. He climbs up the opposite tree, footing steady even when the branches start thinning a bit. When Felix sees the other charms, he slows to a stop and sits on the branch right under where they're dangling.

He distractedly touches each of them, three in total: one is a basic protective spell, a smooth stone wrapped and secured with soft green ribbon that's mirrored in the other tree, a growth spell for the garden, dried chamomile in a tempered glass container tied with wire, and another personal charm.

"Laurel for victory," Felix murmurs, dragging his nail over the second tempered glass container. "And pink peony for whatever I want."

That one came from home. Him and his sisters had put it together one late night, as Felix's highschool life began coming to a close and the reality of how the world was going to treat him began to set in.

Felix silently ties the twine and tigers eye protective charm next to it, feeling listless once he's done. It's only the sound of people approaching that finally gets Felix into motion, climbing back down carefully to the lower branches. Sitting on the lowest sturdy, branch, Felix watches as a rowdy group of five make their way over.

_ "Lee Felix!" _ Chan yells once he sees Felix, blond hair bouncing as he stomps over. "Lee Felix, why did you never tell me you knew Woojin?!"

Felix giggles, watching how Minho and Changbin bicker, how Woojin and Jisung murmur together, and his chest hurts a little less.

"That's a trade secret, isn't that right, Sungie?" Felix teases, watching Chan immediately turn on Jisung.

"You knew too?!" Chan asks indignantly, and Jisung makes a "my lips are locked" movement with a playful grin.

"Everyone is inside, I just need to finish activating my charms before I can join you all," Felix says. "Go right in though!"

"You're all conspiring against me," Chan sulks, and Woojin kisses his cheek placatingly.

Changbin trails behind the group, and Felix hears Jeongin welcoming everyone cheerily at the door. Felix raises his hand and focuses, feeling for the knot of magic inside each tigers eye; with a careful tug, they pop and untangle, a soft sense of safety encompassing the clearing in a wave.

"Your charms are really well made," Changbin praises, and Felix starts; turning around on the branch, he sees Changbin looking at him.

". . . Thank you," Felix says bashfully, smiling. An errant thought crosses Felix's mind--  _ Changbin is in the perfect spot to catch me if I hop off-- _ and it brings a hot blush to his face. "Um. I'll come down now. You should-- should scoot?"

Changbin raises an eyebrow before playfully opening his arms.

"I promise I'm sturdier than I look," Changbin jokes. "I can survive a whole Han Jisung without falling into a water source."

Felix laughs despite himself, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"That's a big achievement, I can't do that at all."

"Then give me a little trust."

Felix is shy, yes, beat down by life and he knows it well, but he's also dumb brave somewhere deep inside. That's what makes him push off, giving a little impulse so that he lands in Changbin's open arms. Magic sparks at his fingers, just in case something goes wrong, just in case Felix has over estimated once again, but it fades as soon as Changbin's arms close around him, both of them twirling in a tight circle. Felix's legs close around Changbin's middle at a wobble, but they're still standing strong.

"See?" Changbin says, and Felix has to giggle at the champagne pop pleasantness buzzing through him. "You're fine."

"I am," Felix says as Changbin sets him down on his own feet. "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think that scene of hyunlix in the kitchen is the tenderest thing ive written for tt so far,,,,, it made me sof
> 
> the changlix held me at gunpoint if i didnt insert it but honestly im not complaining
> 
> [quejate con migo aqui](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a fun romp of a chapter with character dynamics uwu
> 
> I had fun with this?? I hope you have fun reading this???

Felix punches Jeongin's shoulder when him and Changbin enter the house together, making sure to wipe the smug grin off the shifter's face. Serves him right for snooping instead of entertaining their guests.

"Hi everyone," Felix says loudly, waving and turning in a circle between the kitchen and the living room. "Sorry I'm a little bit-- well honestly, you’ve all seen me dressed like a goblin, I’m not sorry at all.”

“I raised you better,” Woojin jokes from the kitchen.

“I still feel betrayed that you raised him and didn’t even tell me!” Chan yells from the couch where he’s been dogpiled by Minho and, unsurprisingly, Jeongin after Felix had bullied him.

“Tragic,” Changbin says, playfully dull, as he settles into the seat next to Hyunjin.

“An-y-way,” Felix intones. “I’m gonna get cleaned up. We’ll do round table introductions later.”

When Felix returns, much cleaner and cuter, he makes a beeline to the kitchen. Woojin somehow discovered why Felix had Hyunjin cutting fruits, even though he didn’t actually tell anyone about it; he’s mixing Hyunjin’s fruits in a bowl with other fruits Felix had stored in the fridge, while Seungmin sequesters the tub of whipped cream that was hidden in the back to make ambrosia. Seungmin winks, light and playful, and Felix smiles back gratefully as he digs up some condensed milk and honey.

“Who would I be without you two,” Felix jokes quietly, holding Seungmin’s free hand and swinging it between them happily. Clearing his throat, Felix speaks up clearly. “Hi everyone! Some introductions are in place, this is Seungmin, my favorite--”

Jeongin squeaks indignantly from where he’s now smooshed between Minho and Jisung, Chan having escaped to the loveseat for the moment.

“I should be your favorite,” Jeongin yelps. “I literally made ugly baskets with you!”

“That’s Jeongin, my other favorite,” Felix teases.

“I’m Jeongin and I’m the  _ best.” _

“And I’m Minho and I’m the prettiest,” Minho preens with a lazy smirk.

“Yes you are babe,” Jisung says in a mock-sage voice. “And also the oldest motherfucker--”

Minho quite casually kicks Jisung’s ribs, and Jisung groans.

“Is this how you treat forest spirits?” he whines.

“I’m Changbin and I’d also like to kick Jisung,” Changbin says, pretending to stand up; Jisung quickly jumps over to the loveseat and manhandles Chan into being a human shield, all while yelling.

“I’m Chan and I’d love it if you guys didn’t kick each other!”

“I’m Hyunjin and I don’t think I know how to kick,” Hyunjin says innocently.

“I’m Seungmin and I’m willing to teach Hyunjin how to kick Jisung,” Seungmin says, and Jeongin cackles out an “I like you” as Hyunjin gets slightly flustered.

“I’m Woojin and I  _ will _ kick  _ all _ of you out of this house if this nonsense doesn’t stop,” Woojin says pleasantly as he mixes ingredients peacefully.

“But I didn’t do anything!” Jisung wails from under Chan, who is petting his hair at an awkward angle.

“Don’t provoke fae folk,” Felix suggests, pushing up the sleeves of his pastel orange sweater. Him, Woojin, and Seungmin are all fluttering around the kitchen together, working on pulling out all the plates and silverware while Woojin finishes dessert. “Minho can and will yeet you into the river, no questions asked.”

“Keep talking dirty,” Minho says, and Jeongin chokes out a giggling “gross!”

Felix keeps a curious eye on those two-- as a shifter, Jeongin is part fae. Domesticated as he is, him, Minho, and Hyunjin all share power in different capacities; Minho’s pure fae presence can single handedly raised Hyunjin and Jeongin’s fae affinities, and so far it  _ has. _ Felix can  _ taste _ it, a staticky cold feeling permeating the air like cobwebs building up.

The bickering continues around him, but Felix calls out, “Hyunjinnie~” just to make sure; when Hyunjin looks over, Felix can see the capillaries in his eyes leaning more towards indigo than hot violet. His irises are black, totally indistinguishable from his pupils instead of the more human, pale lilac, bordering on blue, they were before.

“You did a good job, thank you for helping,” Felix says genuinely, and Hyunjin smiles so brightly, Felix feels like he can resist the pull of potencia a little easier.

“It feels charged in here,” Seungmin says quietly from where he’s tossing the salad. “Right?”

Felix sighs, biting his lip.

“It is,” Felix whispers back. “It’s Minho.”

“What about me?”

 Felix and Seungmin jump, both turning around to where Minho is looking dashing yet sharp eyed. Seungmin subtly puts himself in front of Felix, head tilting to the side.

“I forgot your name,” he says bashfully, and Felix internally cheers for Seungmin’s quick thinking. "Felix reminded me."

Minho giggles lightly, booping Seungmin's nose; Seungmin blinks owlishly, fingers flexing. Seungmin’s magic sensitivity worked in odd ways, and part of this visit had been for it; Felix can practically see it at work in the way Seungmin’s little twitches process the touch.

"It's bad to forget the name of the fae when they're given to you," Minho says lightly.

"Don't worry Minho," Felix says, slipping past them and going towards the fridge. "I'll make sure he won't forget your gift."

"How thoughtful of you Lixie," Minho demures. "I don't gift lightly."

"Of course you don't, your gifts are too big," Felix says as he starts pulling out pitchers from the fridge and placing them on the table, careful to not get between Changbin and Hyunjin's energetic conversation. "All I can do is give you small gifts for now, though, so let me start by feeding you."

Felix sends Minho a smile, fluttering around him to dig up cups from the higher cupboard. He turns and holds out a cup towards Minho. Minho smiles back, eyes glittering with stains of deep blue and green in the black of his iris.

_ Him too, _ Felix thinks as Minho plucks the cup from his hand.

"Thank you dear," Minho says.

"You're welcome! What did I do?" Jisung says from where he and Jeongin are wrapped around Chan on the floor.

Woojin laughs at that, finally giving the bowl to Seungmin who stows it away into the fridge.

"Good to see you two are keeping romance alive," Woojin says, going to the living room and dropping onto the couch. "How are you holding up Channie?"

"Shockingly comfortable," Chan says, voice muffled from where it's buried in Jeongin's stomach.

"Jeonginnie, why are your ears out?" Woojin asks casually.

Jeongin pops up, blinking his black, black eyes at Woojin and wiggles his ears. Felix purses his lips when he sees him.

"I was stuck in fox mode for so long, I think I can't help it," Jeongin says, wiggling away when Jisung tries to pet him.

"Cutie," Hyunjin yells, winking playfully at Jeongin.

"What--" Seungmin whispers, giving Felix a look.

"Later," Felix promises, looping his arm with Seungmin; he gives Seungmin a small, encouraging smile. "First, surviving lunch."

Seungmin squeezes Felix's arm and smiles back.

* * *

Lunch is exactly as chaotic as Felix expected it to be; Minho, Jeongin, and Hyunjin got into hijinks befitting of fae folk, Chan lost 3 of Felix's spoons, Seungmin and Jisung got into a pillow fight, and somehow, inexplicably, Woojin ended up on Changbin's back for a piggyback ride.

All in all, the protective charms he put up did a lot of fucking legwork to say the least. It’s fantastic.

Currently, Minho is carrying Hyunjin  like a bride and spinning him around the garden, while Chan and Jisung chase Jeongin around the tree line. Seungmin is sitting on the back porch, eating what was left of the ambrosia from earlier straight from the big bowl; Woojin and Changbin flank him, occasionally sticking a spoon in when Seungmin isn't looking. When Felix totters out from making sure everything more or less survived inside, Seungmin is smacking Changbin's wrists away with his spoon.

"You're making him dizzy," Felix yells at Minho, crouching next to Woojin and stealing his loaded spoon straight from his hand. He eats it with a grin, even when Woojin shoves him for it. "Thanks Woojinnie~"

Minho carefully drops Hyunjin to his feet, and Hyunjin wobbles dangerously.

"He doesn't have his land legs yet!" Felix says, dropping Woojin's spoon into his lap and shooting up. Bouncing down the steps, Felix quickly wraps and arm around Hyunjin's middle to stabilize him. He pats a reassuring sweater paw against Hyunjin’s side.

"Whoa," Hyunjin mumbles, blinking hard. "What the fuck?"

"Oops," Minho says, only slightly regretful, before Jeongin crashes right into his back.

"Minho, your boyfriend is mean," Jeongin whines, hugging Minho's middle and wobbling them around to face his pursuers.

"Sungie, are you terrorizing my favorite child?" Minho scolds immediately.

"Chan started it~"

" _ Bang Chan _ ," Woojin says, voice mockingly scandalous. "How could you?"

" _ What! _ " Chan yelps, lips curling into a pout. "Not you too babe."

The ambrosia bowl has been scraped clean, so Seungmin places it to the side to help Hyunjin stand up. Hyunjin blushes when Seungmin holds onto him. Felix giggles and pinches Hyunjin's side very lightly.

"C'mon, let's sit you down until your head stops spinning," Seungmin says, and they waddle over to the porch. "You fae folk are really pretty, huh?"

Hyunjin almost dies by stumbling when he goes to sit, but Seungmin catches him and Felix bursts out into giggles; Hyunjin falls on his ass, and just. . . lays down onto the porch. Seungmin rolls his eyes lightly, but pats Hyunjin's knee and turns around.

"Are we ganging up on Jisung?" Seungmin asks, and Woojin sweeps by.

"And Channie~" he sings songs, and Seungmin grins so widely Felix feels fear for Jisung and Chan.

"Lixie," Seungmin says, turning around and grabbing both of Felix's hands. "Help?"

"How's this: I'll make it sprinkle," Felix says, giving Seungmin a sloppy kiss on the cheek. There’s only the slightest surge of energy, Seungmin’s magic too knotted up to provoke Felix. Felix gives him another one on the other cheek for good measure.

". . . I'll take it." Seungmin says, squirming away from Felix’s affections.

Felix laughs, pulling his hands free and reaching upwards. He looks at the sky, spotted with thin white clouds, and grabs. The silver of a wire comes up from between his fingers. The sky darkens slightly as it digs its way into Felix's arm, and then-- a sunshower. Jeongin squeals from where he's on Jisung's back.

Felix sits back on the center steps of the porch, just under the thin metal roof that sings with the water, and watches his friends run around. Changbin is keeping Hyunjin company, laying down together; they shove each other lightly and Hyunjin laughs like the missing sunlight while Changbin grins unabashedly.

Felix feels envy, maybe, at the casualness; touching is hard when all you can feel sometimes is the magic underneath, tempting you to take and take and  _ take _ because that's all you're good for. Even harder around fae folk who generate magic like batteries, although earthly fae are much less like batteries and more like fuzzy lights that never go out. How can he ever feel fully comfortable when all he ever feels is a need to take?

_ How could I just do that, _ Felix thinks absently as he tightens and loosens the rainfall occasionally.

Maybe, though, he's just sad.

Instead of thinking about it, Felix lightens the rain where Woojin and Chan have sprawled out on the grass together, Chan pressing incessant kisses all over Woojin's face; they’re laid out in the flower section of the garden, where Felix keeps his blooms close so that they breaths perfume into his bedroom window during spring time. In turn, he makes it press down harder where Minho, Jeongin, Seungmin, and Jisung are tumbling around some of the young trees Felix had been trying his hand at growing lately, canopies too low and thin to save the quartet. The rain on the tin roof beats a rhythm, Changbin tapping out a counterbeat on the wood, Hyunjin humming with no charmspeak.

And Felix sits on the porch and thinks about his friends as he guides clouds with a wire like balloons in the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im writing this in a really meandering way because it's supposed to be a very meandering story in nature, and i have to remind myself of that sometimes dnsfsnlfdlsmd
> 
> [a tombl for if you have question uwu](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nearly exactly a month is a lot of wait time even for me :Y sorry for the delay, depression donkey kicked me in the dick and made the final 500 words take at least a week to get out let alone the whole chapter lfkdjlksjfa

Once the sun is low enough that it'll still be up by the time you could make it to the nearest main road and back, Felix gently sends his guests out. He packs up food to send Woojin and Chan off with, and lightly charms the tupperware to keep the food fresh for as long as possible. Jeongin shifts into his fox form and trots between them when they leave, accompanying them down the path protectively.

"He looks so harmless for a shifter," Seungmin says casually, sat between to Hyunjin and Minho in the living room, watching out the window as Felix, Chan, and Woojin chat, Jeongin lounging on the porch. "I know it's on purpose, but I haven't even seen him use his magic."

"When he's with Lixie, he doesn't have to," Hyunjin says as if it's simple, dragging his toes across the floor. Seungmin hums, half confused, half accepting.

"When anything in this forest is around me, it's got nothing to fear, so it doesn't need to exert itself," Jisung explains from where he's casually picking through Felix's books, skipping right over the journals that make up Felix's books of shadows. "When I'm not around, Felix takes that place. This last year, he's been alone with the forest for months at a time, and when I came back, it was happy with his work. Thus, Jeongin doesn't feel the need to use his abilities beyond shifting because he knows Felix will keep him safe."

Seungmin's fingers curl together, and he's smiling a little.

"You're proud of him," Minho says, head tilting to the side. "We are, too."

"It was rough for him back when we first met," Seungmin says quietly. "I'm happy he found a place like this, is all."

Hyunjin looks like he wants to cry a little bit-- Hyunjin looks like he wants to cry pretty often, he's just emotionally charged like that-- when Felix walks back inside.

"Innie'll be back before sunset-- why does Hyunjin look like he wants to cry?" Felix stops just inside the living room, nose scrunching up.

"I love you," Hyunjin says with a sniff, thick lashes damp.

"Oh. Love you too, Jinnie," Felix says, as if this happens often. "Onto business though-- those witches. We've gotta do something about them, Sungie."

"I can whisk them away if you want," Minho says airily. "The Unseelie Court loves to take in brats and whip them into shape. Forever."

"While that's very. . . thoughtful, of you," Felix says slowly. "I think it'd be better if we scared them hard enough that they never come back, and if a scary enough rumor about the forest goes around, it'll stop more people from hunting shifters here."

"Scary. . ." Seungmin mutters quietly. "What if Minho makes things feel more fae infested?"

"Might push them off," Hyunjin says. "The legend of the lake keeps lots of people away in the same way."

"I could probably convince Changbin to come and make things extra spooky," Jisung says. "Haunted forest, anyone?"

"It's both fae heavy  _ and _ haunted?" Felix snickers and slaps his knee. "Count me in!"

"That's a lot of mischief," Minho says delightfully.

"Then, Jisung can talk to Changbin and I'll talk to Jeongin about it," Felix says, clapping his hands lightly. "When they come back, either Jisung or I will notice it, and we'll get everything together."

"They haven't been back in a while, but the full moon is soon," Hyunjin says, tapping his toes to the ground excitedly. "Aren't mortals all about full moons and forests?"

". . . Dunno about that,  _ but  _ it's as good a guess as any," Felix replies. “The new moon makes shifters stronger, so I’m sure they’ll try their luck on the full moon instead and hope he’s much weaker. They might not actually  _ know _ that, though.”

"I don't mean to pry," Minho says. "But how can Felix tell if they're here or not?"

"The river speaks to me. She'll tell me if I ask her to keep an eye out."

Minho blinks owlishly, before looking over to Jisung, who had settled into the loveseat a while ago. They share a look-- another one of those unreadable looks Felix was starting to hate-- before Minho speaks up again, voice cheery.

"I didn't know the river liked you so much, Felix!" he says. "She's a good judge of character."

Felix stares.

"Does she not speak to anyone else?" he asks incredulously.

"Of course she does," Jisung says quickly. "She speaks to me, and to her children, right Hyunjin?"

Hyunjin jumps, having been otherwise entertained by picking through Felix's gemstones.

"Um, yeah, she does. We hear her all the time. I can hear her now if she wanted to speak to me," he says, gently fiddling with some selenite. "But it's more like I can hear most large bodies of water?"

Felix stares some more.

"Alright," Felix says. "You and Jisung are keeping a secret from me."

Seungmin purses his lips and physically stops himself from laughing. Jisung laughs instead, much too loud.

"Would you look at that!" he says, standing up and grabbing Minho's hand. "It's time for us to go, thanks for the great time Felix."

Minho looks mildly confused, but he let's Jisung drag him up and out of the house, calling out his appreciation until they disappear into the forest. Seungmin finally releases a giggle, and Felix plops down next to him on the couch.

"They've been keeping a secret from me since I met Jisung," Felix says dismissively. "I'm no closer to figuring it out than I was two years ago."

"I can see that," Seungmin says.

"That's weird," Hyunjin says. "Why would they need to keep a secret from  _ Felix, _ though?"

They're quiet, and that's as much an answer as any.

* * *

"--so," Felix mutters absently. "Since Minho is so  _ much _ energy, he gives earthly fae a stronger magical presence."

"He's very nice for a fae," Seungmin says with approval.

"The tamest I've seen so far," Felix agrees.

The sun sends spirals of hot orange and sweet pink across the world, painting the sky a tropical hue and teasing the forest with new tones. The chamomiles look lovely under this light.

Seungmin watches Felix instead of the world, even after they've gone quiet.

There's a breeze that flows through the wrap around porch where they're sitting together, shoulder to shoulder, facing the main path of the clearing. In Felix's hands is a tangled length of yarn, one he's slowly unspooling into his lap with patient, knowing fingers. Its color shimmers uncertainly between pastel shades, slowly getting stronger under Felix's ministrations, until it's one smooth, uninterrupted piece of mossy green that can comfortably drape over both their laps.

Felix presses one end into Seungmin's palm. It slithers and fades, an illusion, and Seungmin feels his shoulders slump comfortably.

"Seungmin," Felix says seriously, voice soft. "You need a familiar. This won't last long without an outlet."

Seungmin bites his lip and ducks his head.

"I don't want to tell anyone," Seungmin whispers finally, voice uncertain. "The kinds of creatures that're out there. . . They'd kill for me in the worst way."

Felix sighs and wraps an arm around Seungmin, pulling him tight against his side. Seungmin hugs back, squeezing as strong as he needs.

"It's hard being you and me," Felix sighs out. He can hear Jeongin and Hyunjin struggling with the dishes, mixed with the radio humming ceaselessly, and decides it's safe enough to talk. "Who'd write something so dumb? A creator and a destroyer walking together."

"You're not some being of destruction, Lee Felix," Seungmin chides immediately, hearing the reverence around  _ creator, _ the exhaustion behind  _ destroyer. _

"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying, society may call it  _ thieving,  _ but they don't know what I can really do," Felix argues quietly.

"The fact that you  _ can _ do that, and yet you  _ don't, _ makes you better than 99% of the population," Seungmin says firmly. "And me being a potencia repressed magical beacon doesn't ever make me better than you."

They're quiet for a little while, instead watching the tree tops for birds. Jeongin warbles dramatically over the rush of the sink. Hyunjin giggles.

"I've been reading," Felix says slowly, rocking them in a restless back and forth. "And thinking. About stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"That despite what I think, we're not two different ends. I think. . . we're both the same thing, just expressed differently."

"Oh?" Seungmin perks up, attention captured immediately. Felix was a curious person, perpetuated by his need to master learned magic since his own proved too. . .  _ uncomfortable _ to use; his steadily growing collection of his own books of shadows was evidence enough of his diligent endeavors. "Tell me."

"I think we're both just manipulators of magic who gained our abilities at the wrong times," Felix says slowly, placing each word like tenuous pieces of a too-large puzzle. "Think about it. I've always had magic, from day one; instead of growing into it, I got it all in one shot, right? Everything was too volatile and it became difficult to control. You're a late bloomer."

"Like Woojin," Seungmin says, mostly to remind himself that there's nothing shameful about being a late bloomer.

"Yeah, exactly! I never mentioned it, but when I first saw Woojin's magic, it was all wound up, like in a spool," Felix says, turning to look at Seungmin with glittering eyes.

". . . And mine is knotted."

"Right."

". . . Late magic is shy?"

Felix blinks and giggles at that, but nods vigorously. Seungmin snorts.

"So late magic is shy," Seungmin says again.

"It is. And magic manipulation is a big thing to have, so it knotted itself while it was kept at bay. And now it's not sure how to come out, and I can keep trying to unknot each piece, but Minnie, you need more."

Seungmin deflates, crossing his arms; Felix quickly intervenes, grabbing both of Seungmin's hands in his own. He squeezes reassuringly.

"Minnie, listen," Felix urges softly. "A familiar would keep your magic flowing constantly, in a safe, consistent way. And if it ever gets too strong, they'll be able to funnel it away! Plus, if we find a really good one, they might be able to lower your inhibitions and your magic will unknot naturally."

"It's more complicated than just  _ finding someone, _ Felix--"

Jeongin opens the front door with a knock, head popping through innocently. Felix and Seungmin look over immediately, and all three tilt their heads like curious little puppies.

"Sorry," Jeongin says. "But Felix, do we have any more ambrosia ingredients? I want some but I can’t find the whipped cream."

"There's everything, the whipped cream is just in the bottom left drawer of the fridge," Felix replies, and Jeongin smiles and closes the door as he goes back inside.

". . . Maybe we could ask Jeongin," Felix says after a beat.

"I don't actually know him yet," Seungmin points out dryly.

"Well I'm still gonna send him to walk you out like always, so start striking up a conversation," Felix whines, gently shoving Seungmin back without letting go of him. "I just want you to try, okay? Because I wanna see you happy."

A smile blooms across Seungmin's face as he says, "I wanna see you happy too, Lix."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minnie magic reveal!!! minho and jisung have a secret!!! theyre being much too dramatic about it though!!! it's not that deep it just makes them sad to talk about it is all!!!
> 
>  
> 
> [an occasional home](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/)
> 
> edit: [oh i also have a twt now if that's preferable???](https://twitter.com/mxniomei)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> songs that absolutely got me thru writing this last like month:  
> [My Name by Jimmy Clash, H.One, Talksick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWvz3qYjJGU) and [ Lost in Japan Zedd Remix by Shawn Mendes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTCDijrze8)
> 
> this probably isnt the place BUT god i miss zedd :< i love like every thing he does and i miss him clowning around with porter nd i just :<<< i miss zedd!!! when will he make a new album. . .
> 
> n e way pls enjoy this chapter <3

Seungmin texts Felix a picture of a poster the next day, orange and blue, with cute clipart that says, "Artisanal and Craft Fair!" It takes Felix a while to open the text, as he's in the midst of baking cakes, but once he does, he huffs.

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[You should make charms and sell them here!]

**You**

[why would I do that lol]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[You live in a literal cabin in the woods and you visit the city once a month like some kind of cyclical cryptid. Excuse me for wanting you to diversify your experiences]

**You**

[who hurt u]

[what would i hypothetically sell at an ~artisanal and craft fair~ anyway]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[charms u buffoon]

[u absolute fool]

[u clown]

**You**

[WHY R U MEAN TO ME]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[I'm Signing You Up As A Charm Booth For Next Month And You Will Like It]

**You**

[dont make me :< in ur dms]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[You Can Certainly Try]

**You**

[:<]

[:<<<]

[:<<<<<]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[LISTEN]

[It'll be fun!!! And you might make money!!! You already make charms for the forest folk, you might as well get some city clout for it]

**You**

[i dont make charms for the favors i make them bc they need them]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[I know but that doesn't mean they 1) don't owe you favors or 2) that you can't benefit from them]

[listen: charms are mass produced, but they're usually one shot and you're done b/c of it. Your charms last longer b/c you make them better than anyone else]

[if someone needs a good charm, you're gonna be the best option. you'd still be helping if it comes down to it]

[what's so bad about thinking about yourself for once, huh?]

**You**

[nothing!!!!!! i guess!!!!!!! it just seems like a lot!!!!!!!!]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[I'll help! Jeongin will help!! Literally all of our friends will help!!! Anything you need, we'll help you.]

**You**

[ill cry]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[im gonna steal all your uwus]

**You**

[LEAVE MY UWU'S ALONE]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[so, is that a yes?]

Felix contemplates it for a moment, biting his lip.

**You**

[sure]

**From:** Minnie Minnie

[YAY]

[Signing you up~]

Felix finds himself smiling widely at Seungmin's enthusiasm. He's pretty sure his friends are the cutest. His phone's timer begins ringing and he quickly shuts it off, digging for his oven mitts. He pulls out three rectangle cake pans filled with fluffy looking yellow cake, placing them on top of the stove to cool.

"Okay," Felix says to no one in particular, because Jeongin and Hyunjin are out in the forest doing. . . whatever it is they do. Felix realizes he never asked. "Okay, time to get the jars."

Dropping off his mitts at the table, Felix turns to where there's a gap between the fridge and wall counter warily. He keeps a rolling vegetable stand there, and as he rolls it out of the gap, he purses his lips.

There, where the floor meets the wall in the shadows, is a sliver of light.

* * *

 

The cabin was weird as hell. Felix knew this, objectively, the moment he stepped through the door. Jisung had happily shown him around, telling Felix about everything that they were going to do to make it livable, how he already had most of the plans laid out in his head, so on and so forth. And Felix found it weird because couldn't Jisung tell? This cabin did what it wanted, when it wanted.

"Jisung," Felix had asked when Jisung opened up the empty closet next to the bathroom. It wasn't very big, but Felix knew it was deep and wide enough for a slim washer and dryer if he could find the right one. "What's behind this closet?"

"Nothing!" Jisung replied cheerily. "The wall, I guess."

Felix had blinked. It had always taken him a minute to fully process things that seemed untrue.

"Jisung," he said, worried. "That's not possible. The kitchen extends further out than this closet and they share a wall. The cabin outside is shaped like a rectangle. It doesn't make sense. There has to be space behind this closet."

Or, he _would_ have said that, if it hadn't been for a part of the front porch collapsing loudly outside. It startled them both badly, and when they rushed out to check on it, the right front side had fallen due to slowly rotting supports.

Felix knew signs. Felix knew magic. Felix knew that this house had shown him both.

"Who built this place?" Felix asked later that day as they left the cabin alone again.

"Ah, a witch and her familiar," Jisung said, voice soft. There was some sadness in his eyes, like it hurt to think about them.

". . . I'm sorry."

"No! No, it's okay! They would have loved you, you know," Jisung had cleared up quickly.

"Can you tell me about them?"

"Of course. The witch was this great girl named Hyuna, and her familiar was a snake. Hyojong was the sweetest thing, you know? An all around weird, but good pair. And they built the cabin with lots of hard work."

Felix nodded and listened and hummed while Jisung talked, sounding unbearably fond.

The next day, Felix had skipped class and delved into the forest. He knew that if Jisung looked, he'd find Felix; as much as Felix was beginning to warm up to Jisung, he had decided this needed to be done alone. So around his neck was a messy cloaking charm-- a thread of black and white plastic beads, braided with red yarn into a fuzzy necklace. It was the work of his younger sister, just starting to learn how to make charms, and Felix was honestly quite fond of it.

It was barely 10 am when he entered the clearing, the cabin as odd to him as it had been before. Shrugging off his book bag, Felix opened it and began digging through it.

"Hello," he said to the cabin. "I know you belong to the forest, which is why you let Jisung show me around. But I also know you belong to Hyuna and Hyojong, right?"

Felix didn't expect _talking,_ of course, but things that didn't talk still had ways of speaking. Nothing creaked in protest, so he smiled and pulled out a ziplock bag of dried herbs. Another ziplock, this time with fresh tobacco leaves. He pulled out a large leaf, sitting down in front of the half collapsed porch.

"Jisung wants me to live here, but I don't think he realizes you're here too. I'm not trying to replace your owners, but I'd like to take care of you," Felix continued, picking out herbs from the bag; rosemary and thyme and laurel and, because he's a little romantic, dried iris and tea rose petals. "If you'll let me, of course. I just want to live a nice, peaceful life. I'm sure Hyuna and Hyojong have already cycled once more, but I think some part of them are still here right? I wouldn't want to intrude."

He rolled it all up neatly in the tobacco leaf, pulling a short piece of twine from his pocket to tie it up. A cricket under a tree began chirping. Felix made sure the bundle was thin and long, rolled as tightly as possible.

"I'm a thief, you know, which makes it hard. I don't think there's space for me anywhere else, but you also don't have to accept that. I would just like a safe home if you'll have me."

With that, Felix had lit up his little bundle with a creaky old lighter, and walked all around the outside of the cabin. He made sure the ashes sprinkled all around the perimeter, all his intentions wrapped up and put on display for the cabin to consider. He only had a little stub left by the time he'd wrapped back around to the front, so he put it out and left the stub on the grass right in front of the steps.

"I'll be back in a few days," Felix announces, dusting off his pants and picking up his bag. "I'll be looking for your response, and I'll respect it regardless of how it turns out. Thank you."

A week later, when Jisung and Felix return, there's a single, solid pink carnation where the stub of herbs and petals used to be. _Yes,_ the cabin said through it, _I’ll have you._

"You gonna show me that weird little room that nobody's noticed exists?" Felix asked one day, weeks and weeks later, sweaty and gross and alone after him, Woojin, and Jisung had hauled some furniture into the cabin. "I won't bother but it's kinda fucked up that when we drilled that hole into the closet it went clear outside; that's not right and I know it."

Felix didn't expect much, honestly; the cabin didn't usually give a damn as long as Felix took care of it. So far, each time he had planned to drill or nail or scratch, he’d lit some incense and petitioned the house, and the house had left solid carnations for _yes,_ and striped ones for _no._ A solid system, all things considered.

Just then, a field mouse scurried by. Felix screeched. It skittered off into the kitchen. Felix scrambled up to chase it out of the cabin.

"Hey! Hey, get out, or else the cabin'll be mean to you!" Felix yelped, only to stop when he saw what _used_ to be the smooth wall the kitchen shared with the closet.

There was a door.

"Oh."

Felix hesitated. He was wearing a thick iron bracelet, a small packet of salt in his back pocket, and luck charmed stud earrings. The cabin had accepted him. He _could_ be fine.

Felix opened the door.

* * *

 

The cabin had left the door behind, instead keeping a seam open and letting Felix manipulate his way in and out of the room at will. Felix carefully peels the wall upwards with a roll of his wrist and slips through into the darkness behind the kitchy grey backsplash. The wall rolls shut like a curtain unleashed, and once Felix is swathed in darkness, a lightbulb turns on above him. It does nothing to soothe how uncomfortable he always feels in here, even if it glows warmly and miraculously lights up the whole room. He’s not sure what the light that always peeks through the bottom seam is from if not the lightbulb.

This, as Felix had learned, was the heart of the house. Here, the magic pulsed strongly, rhythmically, an oceanic back and forth that has Felix unconsciously swaying with it. This is where the house kept to itself if it wasn’t busy doing other things, like chasing out raccoons or making sure the gutters didn’t pour in the wrong spot. Felix wonders why the cabin let him in here every time he asked, knowing full well of his abilities. Not that Felix particularly felt a need to take from the cabin-- oddly enough, he never got the urge to steal from the house; maybe it was a sense of thankfulness reigning in his senses, or just the fact that he didn’t want to break the heart of some place that already suffered.

Whatever it is, Felix doesn’t bother too much. The cabin could decide on its own. For now, Felix had begun storing his strong magical items in here for protection, and it had let him do as much. Sometimes, if he really needed the boost, he’d perform spells or rituals in there with the help of the grounded magic.

There are shelves on every wall, carefully packed and organized as well as Felix could manage with a semi sentient house; the easiest is putting everything in their own tagged fabric drawer and hoping the house gets picky about where the drawer is instead of the items inside. The little white tags he tied to the handles are no worse for wear, and he easily finds the drawer he’s looking for: charmed mason jars. They’re stubby square things, charmed to keep any food inside at their ideal eating temperature, and Felix pulls out the whole drawer.

“Thanks for keeping everything safe,” Felix says as he ambles over to the seam.

The wall peels open once more, because the cabin might be stubborn but it’s quite polite and can see Felix’s hands are quite full, and when Felix returns to the kitchen, it rolls shut again. Lovely.

* * *

 

Once the cake is cool enough, Felix cuts it up so that two layers fit into each mason jar, and then he soaks each mini cake in just enough milk that it’s soft but not crumbling. He leaves two on the kitchen table, one for Jeongin and Hyunjin each, and packs the rest in his old bookbag-- it’s honestly a lot more jars than he expected.

(As domestic and earthly as Jeongin is, he likes a good fae-worthy gift every once in a while. Hyunjin is a little less reserved and loves getting surprise cake from Felix, especially when Felix sprinkles some sugar on top. He gets glittery eyed and it’s honestly adorable. Today, he sprinkled both of their cakes with pink sugar that sparkles a little.)

Felix locks the door, shoulders his bag, and makes his way out.

Fae folk have haunts just as anything else does; of all the ones he knows, he’s fond of Pillie’s main haunt, because it’s a tiny, flower filled opening just about a mile from the cabin. Pillie is wonderfully cute and a friend of Jae and Younghyun, who like to visit Jeongin and him on occasion, which makes him the only fae Felix knows well. Pillie’s the only one he’d be making a face to face delivery to, if nobody else was visiting from the other side today. He goes there first, and as he’s pulling out a jar, he hears a rustle above him.

“Pil,” Felix says, waving the jar around lightly. “I brought you a gift!”

Pillie waltzes out of the treeline on the opposite side of the clearing, eyes sparkling and mouth pulled into a wide, endearing grin; his hair is dark, although the brown is much lighter than Felix remembers it being last, and his cheeks are round with mirth. He was personable for a fae, and sometimes Felix wondered if he wouldn’t be happier living in a city where he could have much more fun than here. Felix drops off the jar in front of him, and Pillie bounces as he picks it up, pinkish-red skirts fluttering jauntily.

“Cake!” he says happily, tapping the lid. “What for?”

“I’ve been lazy with my gifts lately,” Felix says, and Pillie scoffs.

“No, you haven’t, we’re just bratty~”

“But also, I’m going to get into a little trouble soon,” Felix ploughs on, blushing a little at having to admit he might soon be trouble. “So I’ve made preemptive apologies in the form of cakes.”

“Aish, you’re no trouble to us, kid,” Pillie says, popping open the top of the jar and taking a whiff. “You’re more trouble for never getting in trouble with us, the unseelie are dying to eat you up you know. Gosh, this smells wonderful, Lix!”

“I tried my best,” Felix says.

It’s true that the unseelie have been itching around Felix, but they always have; Felix is like a unique toy, a challenge that comes so rarely that all the fae want to tug him back and forth like a rope. But Jisung’s presence in Felix’s life was like a buffer-- the fae were bigger than the earthly realm, but they were not immune to being weakened if Jisung crippled the veil if he felt they were being too unruly. The veil between the earthly realm and the fae realm needed a place to reside, and if the forest rejected it, the veil couldn’t be sustained.

_Of course, Jisung wouldn’t close it,_ Felix thinks as he says goodbye to Pillie and moves along, _He’s got Minho, he wouldn’t risk it. But it’s nice that the fae folk believe Jisung would do that for me._

Deliveries wouldn’t make themselves, so Felix shakes his thoughts off and keeps going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a wild wonpil appears ldfjgdflkjg also debating who in twice should be fae,,,, torn between tzuyu and nayeon tbh but u guys can throw suggestions in the comments for me if u have any~
> 
> [a twt](https://twitter.com/mxniomei) and [a tmbl](https://mxniomei.tumblr.com/) that exist


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